The Intern
by Petaltoaflower
Summary: Lapis is the new Intern at Diamonds Incorporated. She was looking forward to learning what life in an office was like...but that was before she knew that the only person in Chicago who definitely did not like her was going to be her boss. (Lapis X Peridot Human AU)
1. Chapter 1

I wrapped my arms around myself and held on tight as I walked through the crowded streets of Chicago.

I was determined to make it to my first day of my new internship on time but from the looks of traffic it wasn't looking good for me.

I was new to this town and didn't know where many things were quite yet. At this point I was only 50 percent sure I was walking in the right direction of where I needed to go.

I moved as fast as the busy sidewalks allowed taking quick glances at the directions I had Google mapped on my phone.

According to my directions I was almost there. I had a feeling today was going to be a good day for me. I took one last look at my directions to make sure I was turning on the right street.

A door opened accompanied by a person walking out of it and before Lapis could stop or walk around her she had already ran right into her.

"Whooah! Hey hey do you not watch where you're going. God some people. This is a new shirt!" I didn't want to look up and see the person that went with the voice that was yelling at me.

When I did I saw exactly what I was expecting. A woman not much older then myself stood in front of me covered in the coffee I had made her spill. The two points that stood out to me aside from that were her square glasses society would deem as nerdy and what had to be no less then four inch heels with an odd green hue.

"I'm so sorry. I was looking at my directions really quick to make sure I was on the right street. I'm a new resident here. I don't really know where anything is yet." I wanted to kick myself. What had started out as an apology had turned into an explanation.

"Yeah yea save it. I've heard it all before." The woman looked to her watch and an even more irritated look settled on her face.

"I don't have time to go home and change so thanks to you I get to go to work in this." The woman pointed to her ruined clothing.

"I'm terribly sorry." The stranger walked away before I was able to finish my apologies.

I was left behind to deal with the looks of people who saw the whole scene. I walked forward trying to ignore the snickers they gave me.

Eventually I found myself at what was hopefully the correct destination.

After making my way through the elegant revolving door I headed towards the help desk. My heart started to race as I got closer. I felt like it was the first day of school and I'm going up to ask the teacher a question I should already know the answer to.

"Hello. Could you help me?" I speak clearly refusing to let my fears get the best of me.

"Of course dear. What is it you need."

"Could you tell me what floor I could find Diamonds Incorporated on?"

"Floor 23 and the elevator is right there." The woman pointed to a huge silver box on the other side of the room

"Thank you so much-" I look to the name tag sitting on her desk. "Pearl."

"You're very welcome." Pearl smiled at the use of her name.

Once inside the elevator I click 23 lighting it up on the panel. I take deep breaths getting myself ready to begin my first day as an intern.

* * *

The doors opened to all the sounds you would expect to hear in an office. Fingers vigorously typing away on keyboards, drawers opening and closing as countless amounts of papers are being filed, phones ringing and being answered with a polite "This is Diamonds Incorporated how may I assist you."

I stood admiring it until a woman with what I could only assume was a terrible spray tan approached me.

"What are you just standing there for?"

"Oh umm sorry I'm a new intern here. Not exactly sure who I'm supposed to talk to."

"Your boss will be in there." The large woman pointed to a door leading to a private office.

"O-okay. Thank you." The woman laughed at me.

"Good luck. You're going to need it." That should have been my first warning sign but I thought she was just trying to scare the newbie.

I knocked twice at the door and waited.

"Come in."

The moment I entered the room my heart leaped into my throat. Her back was to me but I knew who it was. She was looking out the windows that lined an entire wall of her office. Looking out over the city in green four inch heels.

She began to turn around causing my heart to only increase in speed.

How is it that I haven't even started my first day and I already have a boss that doesn't like me.

She took a step back. I could tell by the look on her face that I was the last person she had expected her new intern to be.

She stood in front of me with an expression that made me sick to my stomach.

"Why hello again."


	2. Chapter 2

My mind was drawing a blank. How could this have happened? This city is filled with millions of people and I somehow managed to run into not just a stranger but my new boss.

"Hello Ms. umm… Boss." I stood in the doorway only halfway inside her office.

"Please come in." I hesitantly stepped all the way inside shutting the door behind me knowing she would ask if I didn't.

"Take a seat." I look over at her desk and see two chairs positioned in front of it. I take the one closest to the door.

I sit in silence as she works haunting slow shutting all the blinds closing us off from the rest of the office.

She walks over and sits down in her own chair on the opposite side of the desk. This nice act is about to be dropped now that everyone's line of sight in the office has now been cut off.

"Let me just get a few things straight. I'm your superior in this office. You will address me only as Ms. Dot and will not argue against any task I give you." She spoke quickly but clearly. I nodded and she continued.

"Each and every job you do I expect to be done efficiently and completely. In other words I don't give any second chances." I tried to swallow the lump that was in my throat. I attempted to even my breathing out and keep a calm expression on my face. I didn't want her to feel like her intimidation game was working even though it was.

"Have I made myself clear."

"Yes Ms. Dot very."

"Then I think you're ready for your first job as my intern." I was scared to think what kind of jobs she would be giving me.

"Yes what is it?"

"You are going to trade me your sweater for my coffee stained shirt." I opened my mouth about to protest but had second thoughts about it. I couldn't lose this internship. This was the only office that would except me on such short notice.

She had said she gave no second chances and I was positive that she wasn't bluffing so I stood up removed my sweater and tossed it her way glad to still be wearing a tank top. She unbuttoned her shirt also revealing a tank top underneath. Chicago was to cold during the winter months not to have layers on.

She quickly pulled my blue sweater on as I buttoned up her coffee stained shirt. I instantly felt sticky and my skin was itching for a shower.

"When you walk straight out my door you will find your cubical. There are some boxes full of papers I need you to organize into files. That is all you will need from me today. You can let yourself out." She was already seated at her desk with her eyes glued to her computer screen. I stood up walked across the room and exited without another word.

As soon as the door shut everyone looked up at me and instantly had facial expressions that were trying to refrain from laughing. After they took there look at me they returned to their work. Some continued to take quick glances at me making sure there eyes weren't playing any tricks on them.

I cautiously stepped forward to what had to be my cubical. It was smaller then the rest in the office probably specifically designed for short term workers and interns like me.

It had four boxes with endless amounts of papers in each one. I took a seat and looked at the vast amounts of work I had ahead of me.

I appreciated how the short walls around me did a pretty good job of closing me off from everyone else in the office. They could no longer look at me in my coffee stained shirt.

After sitting in denial for a couple minutes at everything that had already occurred today I snapped myself back into reality. I had to get to work unless I was planning on staying here overnight.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you're enjoying the story. This is my first time writing an AU ^-^


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey newbie you're done for the day. Go home." The awfully orange colored lady spoke as she walked by my cubical.

"W-what?" I scooted my chair out of my space thinking I had heard her wrong. She turned around to face me.

"Go home days over." I looked around and saw no one getting ready to leave.

"No one else is leaving." I stated in confusion.

"Yeah because they're workers and you're an intern. It's company policy that we don't make our interns work longer then six hours a day." I racked my brain trying to remember reading about that in there policy.

"But I still have work to do."

"Well you'll have to do it tomorrow." The woman turned around and walked on finding her way to her own cubical at the end of my row near the exits.

I looked at my space already cluttered with stacks of papers. I turned around and saw the blinds to Ms. Dots office were still shut.

I had a moment of internal conflict debating weather or not I should inform her that I'm leaving or if she already knows and would be irritated by my presence.

I was about to knock on her door when I remembered what she had said to me. 'That is all you will need from me today. You can let yourself out.' Her words this morning very clearly sent the message she doesn't like to be bothered with unnecessary things.

I stepped back and headed towards the elevator. I pushed the down arrow and waited. It made a loud ding noise when it arrived and I quickly looked back to Ms. Dot's office. I felt terribly paranoid she would get mad at me for leaving without telling her. I was also paranoid she would get mad at me if I did tell her. It was a lose-lose kind of situation for me.

I returned my attention back to the elevator and stepped inside. I clicked the main floor button.

"Bye newbie." The orange lady spoke to me halfway outside her cubical that was right next to the elevator.

"Bye-" My mind blanked and I couldn't think of her name. Now that I was thinking about it did she ever even mention what her name was?

The doors shut closing me off from the hell that was inside that office. I released my breath and tried to calm my thoughts. My first day had not gone quiet as I had planned.

* * *

I walk the same route home that I had taken to work. This time I'm able to walk at a more comfortable pace. The streets aren't as full as they were this morning. Not as hectic as it was with everybody trying to get to there jobs on time.

I take my time walking home. I got off much earlier then I thought I would. I look at my watch. It's not even 4:30 pm yet when I reach the stairs in my building.

I don't bother to take the elevator sense I only live on the third floor.

I can hear faint giggling as I climb the stairs. It begins to get louder and I don't realize who it's coming from until I am on my floor.

Garnet who looks as though she has escaped from her apartment is giggling uncontrollably as Ruby crawls around telling her that 'she's gonna get her'. It's a really cute picture but I feel like I'm barging in even though we're in the hallway so I clear my throat to gain there attention.

"Eh em." Ruby turns around and is almost shocked by my presence. She goes and scoops up Garnet who is still giggling with joy.

"Sorry neighbor. We've been out here so long and no one has walked by that I kinda forgot we were in the hallway." She had a slight blush on her cheeks and I couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or from playing with Garnet.

"No worries." I had only been here for a month and Garnet already looked different. She has gained a lot more mobility sense the last time I saw her.

"Hi Garnet." I waved to her and she flashed me one of her adorable smiles.

"What do you do now?" Garnet looked to her mother thinking about the question she was asked. It took her a moment but she looked back to me and waved. We both smiled at her gesture.

"What happened to your shirt?" Ruby questioned me. It took me a moment to answer the question. I had forgotten that I wasn't wearing my own shirt but my bosses coffee stained one.

"It's a long story I'll have to tell you later. You just reminded me I need to wash this." Ruby nodded at me.

"Okay but I'll be expecting a good story from you."

"Okay." Garnet waved to me one more time as her and her mother walked into there apartment right across the hall from my own.

I popped into my apartment real quick to change into a new shirt and grab my laundry soap. I made my way back down the stairs to the laundry room with some of my own clothes and my bosses shirt.

Sense I'm the one who caused the stain it only felt right to clean it for her. She had made it very clear on no second chances but I was determined that I wasn't going to need one.


	4. Chapter 4

Day two. If today was going to be anything like yesterday I wasn't sure how long I would last here. I made sure to grab Ms. Dot's shirt before I left. I folded it neatly before placing it nicely in my bag trying to minimize creases.

I left my apartment earlier then yesterday now that I had a better sense of how long it would take to get to Diamond's Incorporated from my building. Also I needed extra time to pick up a coffee from the same place my boss had walked out of when I had run into her.

I ordered it black having a feeling that's how she liked her coffee. I made sure to grab sugar packets and cream cups just in case I was wrong.

I thanked the cashier when she handed me my change addressing her by her first name.

"Thank you Amethyst." Things just felt more polite when I used people's first names. It was one of the few good habits I had developed as a child.

"Your welcome." She smiled at me as I grabbed my coffee and then she readied herself for the next costumer in line.

* * *

I was back at the office. Nervous energy coursed through my body as I knocked on the private office door of my boss.

"Come in." I entered her office slowly. She was frantically typing on her computer. She was so enwrapped in whatever it was she was doing that her eyes stayed glued to her screen as I walked up to her desk.

I placed the coffee and her shirt on her desk. She didn't even glance over at me so after a moment of waiting I decided to just leave her things and get to work in my cubical.

The day passed by without the slightest sign of movement from within Ms. Dot's office. Her blinds were still closed and she never made an appearance from outside her office walls.

So much for an interactive experience. All I had done for the past two days was file an enormous amount of papers. That was it. Whenever I finished going through one box someone would just put another inside my cubical without a word.

If this was all I would be doing over the next three months I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay here.

"Hey newbie. Me and a couple friends got off early. Do you want to join us for a drink." I looked at my watch it was already 4:30pm. I considered accepting her offer. Even though she tauntingly called me newbie she was the only one in the office who had actually spoken to me other then my boss.

"Sure. Do you mind me asking your name?" I asked her feeling bad that I hadn't asked yesterday after she had talked to me.

"It's Jasper."

"Oh nice to meet you Jasper." Real world jobs felt a lot like school had. I just made my first friend here.

We rode the elevator down to the lobby.

"It's just a couple blocks away." Jasper told me.

I followed her not knowing where anything was myself.

"I guess I should have asked before inviting you but your 21 right?"

"Yeah I'm actually 22." I answered her.

"Okay just making sure. Some of our interns had been high school students. I've invited some in the past and they didn't tell me there age in there attempts to sneak into a bar."

She stopped walking. We were already there.

There was a few seats left at the counter. We walked in and sat down before someone else had the chance to. Jasper ordered drinks for me and her friends who had tagged along. I guess actually I would be considered the tag along of this group.

The night(or really evening) was fun. We talked and shared stories of how we all ended up at Diamond's Incorporated. It was nice after the stress my boss had put on me to just be able to relax.

"Jasper I think I'm gonna head home now. It's almost seven." She stopped talking to her friends for a moment to reply to me.

"Okay sounds good. I'm gonna hang out here a bit longer. I'll see you tomorrow." I grabbed my bag placed the money for my two drinks on the counter and began to walk out.

Right before I reached the door a particular someone caught my eye.

It was my boss sitting at a booth alone.


	5. Chapter 5

What was she doing here?

I hadn't pinned my boss for the type of person who goes out to bars.

From the few interactions I had with her she seemed like a very uptight couldn't let go and enjoy the moment type of person to me.

I stopped at the door contemplating what I should do. She hadn't noticed me but I didn't know if I could just walk out and pretend I never saw her here. I mean I could if she was here with people and she was having a good time with some friends but she wasn't. She was sitting at a booth alone with a distant look in her eyes and multiple empty glasses scattered around her.

I couldn't in good conscious leave her here like this. I made my way from the door over to her booth.

I stood right in front of her but she didn't take notice of my presence. She just stared down at the table and took small sips of what appeared to be her fifth drink.

"Eh em." I cleared my throat to gain her attention. My boss slowly raised her head to find me standing there.

"Oh God. You have got to be kidding me!" She let her head drop onto the table with a loud thump that made me cringe.

I sat down at the edge of the huge booth. For coming to a bar alone why did she choose to sit at the largest booth there was? It only made her stand out more.

She kept her head down so I scooted a little farther in. I felt weird sitting there. I didn't know what I should do or what I should say. I hadn't thought much past the part where I walked up to her and gained her attention.

"So yeah… How are you?" She just kept her head down not answering me.

"Do you come here often?" She still didn't answer. I was beginning to worry she had passed out. I wasn't sure how much she could drink.

"Ms. Dot?" I scooted in far enough to where I could shake her arm a little to see if she was conscious.

My bosses head shot right up. She put her elbows on the table and tried her best to cover her face but despite her trying to hide it I could see the tears on her face.

"Yes yes I'm fine you can go now." She kept shaking her head up and down in her attempt to convince me she was okay.

"You don't look fine." I stated not wanting to leave her like this.

"Well did I ask you how I looked!" My boss snapped at me causing me to jump.

"Okay I'll go then." I spoke short with her now that she had irritated me. All I was doing was seeing if she was okay. She didn't have to get like that with me.

I began to scoot across the booth when she stopped me.

"No no I'm sorry I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." My bosses voice faded out but I could hear her continued strand of apologizes mixing together.

I put aside my awkwardness and decided I was gonna get to the bottom as to why she was here. You don't just go to a bar alone and get this drunk if you were okay.

"Look Ms. Dot-" My boss cut me off.

"Peri."

"What?"

"You can call me Peri." She looked at me like I was an idiot. She wasn't to far off my mind could be pretty slow sometimes, I wouldn't deny that.

"Okay. Look Peri I know it's none of my business but I have to ask why are you here? You don't strike me as the kind of person who would come to a bar."

"Well you're not wrong there. This is my first time coming to a bar and actually drinking. By the way this stuff tastes awful." She looked down to her drink making a face that looked like she had just licked a lemon. I chuckled at her.

"If it's so bad why have you drank so many?" I took notice that she was over half way done with the drink in her hand.

"Because I needed to forget."

"Forget what?" At this point I was really hoping I would get some answers.

"You of all people are the one I can't tell." She looked me straight in the eyes as she gulped down the rest of her drink. She raised her hand to get a waiters attention.

"Oh no you're cut off." I took her hand out of the air and started dragging her out of the booth.

"What where are we going?" She tried to resist but I didn't stop till she was standing. I rummaged through my bag and left payment for all of her many drinks.

"My place."

"Wow wow wow." She made huge motions in the air with her hands drunkenly. She obviously wasn't all the way here anymore.

"Don-don't you think that's inappropriate I mean I'm-I'm your boss." Her words were becoming slurred as her last drink began to kick in.

"Yes but you're drunk and if you think I'm gonna let you wander around by yourself in this condition you're in for a surprise." I linked my arm around her back as it seemed to be a difficult task for her to just stay standing by herself let alone walking; especially in the heels she was wearing.

"Come on my place isn't to far from here." I was right about her motor skills. We had to take slow baby steps to keep steady.

Jasper came into view as we reached the door. She was still drinking and having a good time with her friends. The moment her eyes met mine though her face turned questioning and then sour.

* * *

 **A/N:** Happy New Year's everyone! I have to apologize for the wait. I know my updates have been taking awhile. It's been hard to find the time to write. With the completion of my first story though this one is now at the top of my list. :)


	6. Chapter 6

We ended up having to take a taxi to my apartment building even though it was a shorter distance then my usual walk to work. With it being dark out, freezing cold, and difficult to guide Peri's drunken body I had to break down and pay for a taxi.

The drive was awkward having to keep a grasp on my boss so she didn't trip getting in or out of the vehicle or hit her head which despite my effort happened a few times.

It was nearly 9 o'clock by the time we finally reached my apartment. Once we made it up what seemed like an endless amount of stairs now that I had to support not one but two people I let go of Peri so I could dig the keys out of my bag. Unfortunately I didn't see as she wandered away across the hallway.

However I did notice when she started knocking on my neighbors door. I looked back to find her leaning against the wall by the door. I was surprised she made it across the short hallway by herself without losing her balance on the way.

"Hello?" The door opened and out stepped my neighbor Sapphire. Why did my boss decided to go over and knock on their door? Hadn't I already been embarrassed enough that night walking around with my drunk boss?

"Hi hey so sorry Sapphire-" I rushed across the hallway and pulled my boss back who was beginning to step into my neighbors apartment.

"This is umm well this is my boss..." Sapphire looked at me like I was crazy. What was I doing with my boss that was obviously drunk.

"He-ey." My boss said with a burp interrupting her one word that reeked of alcohol.

"I swear it's not what you think. She just needs a place to sleep it off." I tried not to get distracted as Peri had started to mess with my hair.

"Mmm how many drinks has she had?" I could see her try and muffle her laughs at the drunken person.

"I think only like five." I said.

"Has to be more then that with this kind of behavior." She watched as my boss continued to act like a child.

"I had thought the same thing until she told me this was her first time drinking." I looked over to my boss who looked completely zoned out of the conversation.

"Ahh I see. How did you find her?" My neighbor kept the conversation going when all I wanted was to take my boss inside and get her to sleep.

"I was at the same bar I'll tell all this to you later I really need to get her to sleep." Garnet had now come to stand behind her mothers leg and looked up to me and Peri. She tugged on her moms skirt wanting to say something to her. Sapphire knelt down and listened to the whispered words of her daughter.

"Maybe some other time. Lapis has things she needs to do." Sapphire answered her daughter.

"What about her friend?" Garnet spoke up barely audible to me who was farther away from where she stood.

"I'm sorry sweetie she's busy too." Garnet stuck out her bottom lip and looked up to her mother with pleading puppy dog eyes.

"Now don't give me that face it's to late you should be in bed right now anyway."

"No!" Garnet darted away from her mother hiding somewhere within her apartment.

"Well you can come tell me everything in the morning right now I have a little monster to go find." Sapphire looked exhausted as she said this to me.

"Okay." Sapphire smiled and waved goodbye as she shut the door leaving me and Peri in the hallway.

"Okay come on it's time for you to go to bed too." I said with the long day's events starting to catch up to me I felt more exhausted then ever.

"What! No!" Peri stuck out her bottom lip and looked to me with the same pleading eyes Garnet had used on her mother.

"Oh My God! That's not going to work come on." Peri was full of bubbly giggling as I dragged her across the hall and into my own apartment.

We were only a few steps inside when she stopped and put her hand over her mouth.

"W-where's your bathroom." She tried her hardest to not throw up there on the spot but despite her effort she did before I could ever tell her it was down the hall to the right.

"Oh oh my god! I'm so sorry. So so sorry." She started sinking down to the ground where most of her puke lied.

"No no it's fine come on lets go to the bathroom." I pulled her body back up and lead her down the hallway. Despite the terrible stench I tried to act like it was no big deal as to not make my boss feel any worse then she clearly already did.

I put her down in front of the toilet knowing there would be more to come. She moaned and groaned with her head on the toilet. I went to get a towel she could rest her head on instead of the gross toilet seat.

I left her there while I went to get a change of clothes for myself and my boss who had managed to get puke on every item of clothing we were both wearing. Looks like I would have to wash her shirt again...

After I changed I went and cleaned up the puke in front of my door. I had to think on the positive side of things at least I had hard wood flooring and not carpet.

I set up my couch with blankets and pillows along with a glass of water and two ibuprofen on my inn table. I brought the stack of clothing I had gotten for her to change into to the bathroom but she had already fallen asleep on the cold bathroom tile floor.

* * *

 **A/N:** So I'm somewhat new here on FanFiction and I recently found out about the beta section. I can't believe I never knew about it before so I decided to set up my own beta profile if anyone is interested go check it out. I'd be more then happy to beta read your stories just send me a PM. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Bar\- To answer your question I had planned on putting Steven into this story he just wasn't going to be my main focus point. He will be in the story but it will be minimal.

* * *

I ended up falling asleep on my couch not wanting to miss anything if my boss tried to sneak out in the morning.

I hadn't gotten much sleep last night waking up constantly and checking on Peri to make sure she was still on her side. I had slipped a pillow under her head and covered her in a blanket last night so she would be more comfortable.

The problem I was having now with getting back to sleep is I had to use the bathroom myself. I looked to the clock on my microwave which I could see from my place on the couch. It was 7:42a.m.

I weighed my options. I could go across the street to a store or restaurant and not disturb anyone or I could go across the hall and ask my neighbors if I could use there bathroom.

I didn't want to impose but thinking about it Ruby and Sapphire were more then likely awake sense they were the parents of a toddler.

I checked on my boss one last time before walking across the hall. She hadn't moved an inch sense the last time I had checked on her. I had to watch her a moment to make sure she was breathing and to my relief she was.

I put my blue sweater on over my shirt just in case it wasn't as warm outside my apartment where I had the heater cranked up and made my way across the hallway.

I hesitated with knocking not wanting to wake them up but I had to put my nonsense aside. I could hear activity from within their apartment.

It took a moment for them to answer the door making me become nervous all over again.

The door eventually opened and I was relieved to see Sapphire wearing her usual clothes and not pajamas.

"Hey Lapis what can I do for you?" Without even stepping inside I could hear the faint sound of the T.V running and movement in the kitchen. It seemed like the whole family was awake.

"Do you mind if I use your bathroom, mines not exactly available right now..." I trailed off but I was sure she already picked up on what I meant.

"Of course come in." Sapphire stepped to the side so I could enter her apartment. I had been living in this building for over a month now and even though I was on a first name basis with Ruby and Sapphire this was the first time I had been in their apartment.

It was set up very similarly to my own. The kitchen, dining room, and living space was all very open concept. Looking down the hall I saw an extra door, probably a second bedroom for Garnet. Other then the extra room it was set up the same as my own apartment.

"The bathroom is the second door on the right." Sapphire informed me.

"Thank you." I took no time walking to the bathroom. I felt like if I waited any longer my bladder would explode.

I praised my neighbors for being so kind while emptying my bladder. I felt so much better.

After flushing the toilet and washing my hands I made my way back out into the living space. I couldn't just use the bathroom and leave that would be rude. I knew they would want some answers so I made my way for a chair at the dining room table and sat down.

"So you ready to tell me that story." Ruby spoke up from the kitchen where she was making coffee.

"Wait you have a story to tell her too?" Sapphire looked at me questioning. She had assumed me coming to sit at the table was to get answers to what had happened the night before. What she didn't know is I promised Ruby answers too from events that had happened a couple days ago.

"Yeah I have some stories and answers for both of you. They both revolve around my boss." Ruby came to sit at the kitchen table with me and Sapphire. She placed a cup in front of Sapphire and herself.

"Do you want a cup?" Ruby asked me.

"No, thank you. I'm more of a tea drinker." I smiled at them.

"Okay so where do you want to start?" Ruby asked. I wasn't sure so many things had happened in the last few days it was all such a blur.

"I guess I should start at the beginning." Over the course of the next hour or so I told them all about me running into her on the street causing her to spill her coffee. How I learned she was my new boss when I arrived at work. How she had made me switch her shirts and how I agreed out of fear of losing my new internship. I told them about another employ inviting me for drinks and that I found my boss drinking at the same bar I was at but she was alone. I however left out the part of inner conflict I had when I saw her and the true reason I walked over to my boss.

I hardly noticed the sound of the T.V. Garnet was watching until it wasn't there anymore. Garnet had muted it and when we looked over she had the most guilty looking face.

"What is it sweetie?" Sapphire asked her. Garnet burst into tears and looked down to the couch where she had spilled her cup of orange juice. Ruby went over to Garnet while Sapphire went to the kitchen to grab some paper towels.

"What did we tell you about bringing drinks over here." Ruby stood in front of Garnet with her hands on her hips. Garnet didn't reply she just started to cry harder.

"We told you not to didn't we." Garnet just nodded now sunken to her knees.

"Now who's gonna clean it up." Ruby had raised her voice and started tapping her foot to the ground. Garnet had covered her face with her hands.

"Honey that might be a little over the top." Sapphire was there now cleaning the spill. Ruby stopped tapping her foot and looked to Sapphire who had remained calm through the entire situation.

"Well she needs to learn." Ruby's face had turned red.

"I think she understands." Garnet continued to cry on the floor. Ruby's face lightened looking over at Garnet again who was sobbing hysterically on the floor her shirt and pants soaked with orange juice.

"Okay mommy's sorry Garnet lets go get you cleaned up." Ruby said. Garnet nodded and opened her arms letting her mother pick her up and carry her to the bathroom.

Sapphire finished cleaning the couch and returned to the dining room.

"Sorry about that. I didn't even see her bring that over there. I was to caught up in our conversation." I just smiled at her.

"No need to be sorry it's fine. You guys really make a great team." I admired watching the two parent there daughter. Ruby was good disciplining Garnet and when it started to be to much Sapphire was there to calm everyone down. They made what I thought to be a perfect family.

"Why thank you. I like to think the same thing." I looked over to the clock on their stove. It was already pushing 8:30a.m. I couldn't believe how much time had passed I needed to get back to Peri.

"Thank you Sapphire for letting me use your bathroom but I really need to be getting back to my boss I don't want her to wake up and not be there."

"You're welcome." Sapphire got up and walked me to the door.

"You should come over again soon. It was nice to talk to another adult. I don't get out very often."

"Yeah it was nice I'm sure I'll be over again soon with all that's happening right now." I smiled and walked out of their apartment.

"Bye." Sapphire said to me as she shut the door.

I made my way back to my apartment afraid that Peri might have woken up when I was gone. What if she had left? I opened the door to find her on my couch cradling her head in her hands.

I closed the door quietly behind me but then spoke to her in a louder voice then I needed to.

"Welcome to the joy of a hangover." Her hands shot over her ears and she looked at me with an expression like she was ready to kill.

I just smiled at her. This was the first time I saw her as a human just like myself; this was the first time I looked at her without fear.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know this chapter focused a lot on Ruby and Sapphire but I hope you enjoyed it none the less. Next chapter will have a lot more Peridot and Lapis interaction.


	8. Chapter 8

It took me a moment to pinpoint the feeling that now rose inside me when I looked at my boss. It was something different; something new.

"Why does my head feel like it's ready to implode." Peri asked me from the couch. I walked up to her and placed the two ibuprofen that were still on the inn table in her hand along with the glass of water. I took a seat on my coffee table right in front of her.

"Do you not know what a hangover is?" I wasn't sure how someone of her age could not know what a hangover was. It's all over the media. In movies, books, T.V shows.

"Hang over? Over where?" Oh my God! She really didn't know what a hangover was!

"It's just a really bad headache you get when you drink a lot. It means you drank more then your body could handle." She looked to the pills in her hand.

"You're telling me I feel this way because I had to much alcohol but now you're telling me you want me to take drugs."

"Drugs?" It took me a moment to understand what she was getting at.

"Oh you mean the ibuprofen. That's just a pain killer. It will make your head feel better." I was surprised she didn't know what this stuff was. Did she never take any for cramps growing up?

She continued to look at me skeptically but eventually swallowed the pills.

"How long will it take for these to work." She asked me sinking into the couch.

"They'll start working in about a half-hour but you won't fully feel better until tonight most likely. You need to eat food and drink lots of water."

"Tonight! But I need to go to work!" She sat back up on the couch and grimaced from the fast movement.

"Well you should have thought about that before drinking so much." I stated. I got up and walked over to the kitchen to get some coffee started.

"Well you drank last night too didn't you? Why didn't you think of work? Were you going to call in sick? You were weren't you. Pshh typical." She crossed her arms and looked away from me. I enjoyed her presence more when she was drunk.

"No I wasn't going to call into work because I didn't drink to much to have a hangover like you." I poured coffee for both of us knowing I wouldn't get through the day with her acting like this without it.

"Here." I gave her the black coffee unlike mine which had cream and sugar. I could see her eyes get glossy like she was going to cry.

"Umm are you okay?" I asked her. If it wasn't for her having a headache I would think she was still drunk.

"Yeah..yeah thank you." She said to me before taking a sip of her drink.

We sat in silence drinking our coffee. Peri had a look on her face like she was trying to solve a really complex math problem; it was cute…

No I couldn't think like that. She was my boss. Like what she said last night even the idea of coming to my apartment might be considered inappropriate.

It took me a moment to realize she was wearing the clothes I had left for her. A pair of sweatpants that extended the length of her legs and a blue T-Shirt a little lighter then the color I was wearing.

I noticed she wasn't wearing her heels and for a moment I was sure my face looked a lot like Peri's as I tried to figure out why my pants would be to long for her.

"Hey could you stand up?" I blurted out thinking I had the answer.

"Stand up? Why?" She had finished her drink so I took her cup and her hand lifting her to her feet.

I was right. I was taller! Without her heels on I towered over her.

"I didn't realize you were shorter then me." With her heels on she was actually a little taller then me but now it was the other way around.

She ripped her hand from mine bringing me to realize that I remained holding it even after I had pulled her up off the couch.

She started looking around my apartment frantically but what she did next really took me off guard. She sunk to her knees and started crawling. Crawling!

"What the hell are you doing?!" I practically yelled at her. I watched my boss crawl on her hands and knees all the way to my bathroom. I was at a loss for words I couldn't even follow her. I just waited for her in the hallway dumbstruck.

She came back moments later standing upright now with her heels strapped back onto her feet.

She walked up to me now seeing eye to eye and sat back down like nothing abnormal had occurred.

"What was that all about?" I asked looking down to her sitting on my couch.

"What?" She asked pretending to act like nothing had happened. She kept a straight face as to convince me I hadn't just watched her frantically crawl down my hallway.

"Can you tell me why you just crawled down my hallway?" I simply asked.

"To get my shoes." She said now cradling her head once more.

"Yes I see that but why did you crawl. Do you hear me the key word here is crawl." I couldn't get over it. Never in my life had I imagined I would see my boss-any boss I'd have-crawl.

"I told you I had to get my shoes!" She yelled and slumped her head back into the palms of her hands.

It took me a while and getting yelled at by my boss to realize why she had done it. Why she had done one embarrassing act to try and cover up what she truly felt embarrassed about.

"You. Are you..embarrassed about your height?" She kept her head in her hands and nodded with her body beginning to shake. I rushed over to her to comfort her but then I didn't quite know what I should do. Should I pat her back? Put my hand on her shoulder? I ended up just sitting there and the sound of her starting to talk startled me.

"I am above you in rank. I should be the taller one! People don't take you as seriously when they are looking down to you when you talk."

"I wouldn't take you less serious without your heels on." I said. It was a stupid reason to be upset and at the same time I understood what she meant. People treat you different based on your appearance.

"Really?" She looked up to me with puffy eyes and a runny nose. I grabbed her a tissue and she thanked me.

"Of course." We sat in silence while she blew her nose.

"Hey why don't we go to something to take your mind off of all this. Lets do something fun!" She grimaced and held her head.

"Oh yeah lets wait a little bit and then go out."

"What if someone from work caught me?" She said scared.

"Everyone from work will be at work you'll be fine I promise." Her headache would be better in a few hours and with some ear plugs I would be able to show her my favorite place in town.

I looked at her with pleading eyes until she relaxed her body.

"Fine. Where would we go?" She asked.

"You'll see." I said trying to hide my excitement.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the wait my life has been rather busy lately. I hope you enjoy the chapter anyway! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** So sorry for the wait. This chapter is somewhat short but I wanted to put something up to let you all know I haven't and won't abandon this story.

* * *

It was 8pm when we walked in the music store. I was going to take her to a performance but since her hang over wasn't tapering off quiet fast enough I figured I would just show her around the store before the noise started.

"A music store? This is what you were so excited about?" I could tell she was annoyed but I ignored it, she owed me.

"Don't say it like that say it like 'A music store! Awesome this is gonna be so fun!'" I trying to impersonate how she talked but I didn't do so well. I hope she doesn't find it offensive..

"I don't talk like that," She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted out her bottom lip like a child. She walked away from me to one of the walls lined with guitars and tryed to feign interest in them.

I decided that she would be fine there for a moment and made my way to the front desk where Steven was sitting playing his ukulele.

"Hey Steven! I see you're getting pretty good with that uke there." His eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Lapis you're back! I haven't seen you in an eternity!" I chuckled in reality it had only been a few weeks sense I had stepped inside the music store but to someone of his age time still went by slowly.

"Yeah just showing my boss around we um we had a day off." I lied knowing Steven wouldn't question it.

"Awesome! Is she as much into music as you?" I shot a quick glance over to Peri who was messing around with a guitar pick as if she was trying to figure out what it was.

"Um not quiet as much but I thought I'd show her around anyway. She doesn't get out very much I don't think," I said as I saw Peri make her way to the wind section of instruments.

"That sounds fun! Are you gonna be here for long. My dad is playing a new set tonight he said it's his best one yet!" I would have loved to stay and listen but I knew Peri would kill me if I did that to her.

"Sorry Steven we have to keep moving thought I would just stop by and see how my record was selling," I said hating to disappoint the young boy.

"Oh okay I understand if you can't stay. It's doing pretty good we've sold about 29 copies!" I know to Steven that seemed like a lot but to my ears all I heard was I failed. Chicago was a big place I should have sold more then that in a month.

"That's awesome Steven! I'd love to stay and chat more but I really need to keep moving." I had to get out of there and keep moving before my body betrayed me making my eyes water.

"Okay Lapis. Promise it won't be a month before I see you again."

"I promise," I told Steven hoping I could keep it.

I rushed over to Peri who was pressing down each key of a flute one by one trying to figure out the musical puzzle.

"Why is it when I press this key it's the only one that goes down but when I press this other one both of them do?" She was genuinely confused but the look she gave me only made me laugh.

"Learning to play an instrument is challenging. It's not supposed to be easy." I didn't find it confusing but I could understand why she did. I wasn't even sure if she knew it was a flute she was touching.

"Yeah but I don't understand."

"That's okay you don't need to know you don't play the flute do you?"

"Well no but it's still bothersome that I don't understand how it..works," I could tell by the way she trailed off she hadn't meant to say what she did out loud. I would have to revisit the meaning of her words later right I had to get out of the music shop.

"I'll try to explain it to you later right now we must get going."

"Well I won't refuse that," She was walking to the door before I had even finished my sentence.

As soon as we stepped foot outside Peri started walking one way and I the other.

"Where are you going? It's this way," I said.

"What's that way. I thought this was it we were going back to your apartment so I could gather my things and return home," I hated and loved the way that she spoke. So formal but also kind of robotic.

"If you think that was it you're in for a big surprise," I grabbed her hand and started dragging her down the street.


	10. Chapter 10

I didn't actually know where I was taking her when I started to drag her off. I just couldn't stand the thought of going home and anxiously pacing around knowing my music career just wasn't going to happen. It wouldn't be difficult to show her another favorite place of mine but this one felt kind of private to me; more then I had wanted her to know about me.

My original plan was to only take her to the music store and play her my own record but after hearing how little copies it had sold I had grown insecure with the idea.

When our pace started to slow I could feel Peri's hand slip gradually out of mine and it made me sad. I know it was probably already considered inappropriate for the amount of time that our hands were interlocked but when I felt the air that replaced where he hand had been it filled me with an overwhelming sadness.

"Can we stop in there real quick? I need to get another coffee," Peri asked. I looked over to see the coffee shop across the street. The same one in which I had spilled Peri's coffee all over her...

"Of course." I stepped off of the sidewalk first making sure it was safe to cross the street before Peri was even anywhere close to the curb.

* * *

A bell chimed when we opened the door I realized just how cold I had been when the warm heat rushed over me. Maybe I would get a coffee to just to warm myself up.

"Hey Amethyst. Can I get a 16 oz. black coffee." Peri took the lead in ordering.

"Jeez P-Dot why are you getting a coffee so late? Do you have the night shift or something?" Amethyst replied as she poured Peri her coffee." Did they know each other or something?

"No still just trying to work off an all day hang over," Peri said as she took her coffee and handed over some money.

"Oh. My. God. no way! You got drunk! And drunk enough to be hungover all day! That doesn't sound like my Peri one bit." Okay they definitely knew each other.

"Believe it or not it happened and I'm regretting every minute of it," Peri said while she cradled her head.

"Haha who would have thought. Old innocent to everything P-Dot went and bought herself one large hangover." Peri stepped aside with her coffee so I stepped up to the counter.

"Can I also get a 16 oz. Black coffee please." Amethyst eyed me as she poured my coffee.

"Who's this P? Do you have a new girlfriend or something?" I could feel my face get hot but I forgot about it when Peri both spit out and snorted the coffee that was in her mouth.

"Ms. Dot are you alright?" I went over and patted her on the back in case she was choking on the liquid. When her coughing fit was over she turned to Amethyst with burning cheeks and her 'you're dead' eyes which I had received this morning.

"AMETHYST!" The blond marched up to the counter but stopped not knowing what to do next.

"Yess?" Peri hesitated in answering after Amethyst's response.

"You don't just say stuff like that. It's it's it's…"

"Jeez P-Dot calm down."

"Don't. Tell. Me. To. Calm. Down! I am not in the wrong here you are!" Peri stomped out of the shop and out of sight.

"I'll take that as a yes." Amethyst handed me my own coffee and I set down a couple of dollars.

"What no. That's my boss. I'm her new intern." Why did she say _new_ girlfriend?

"Then what was with that reaction?" Amethyst asked.

"I'm not sure," I left my coffee sitting on the counter forgetting about it as I went out into the night to find Peri.

* * *

"Ms Dot?" I looked around but didn't see any sign of her. The street I was on was vacant; no one in sight.

"Where are you?" I spoke a little louder and started off in one direction determined to find where she went.

I didn't walk very far before I found her just around the corner in the back alley of the coffee shop.

"There you are," I said in relief.

Peri's body jumped in shock. Startled she turned her back to me and violently rubbed at her face.

"Oh finally you're here. I was just getting some fresh air before we went to this mystery place of yours," Peri said as she turned back around to face me.

"W-what." Was all I could say. She started to walk by passing me, I grabbed hold of her arm with a little more force then I had intended.

"You're doing it again," I said, my face lowered. I was staring at the ground finding my words that were buried in the concrete sidewalk.

"What do you mean? I'm not doing anything," She said pretending to not know.

"Yes you are! This is the same thing that happened with your heels! You do something odd and it's not even like you just don't want to talk about it because it's a personal matter. You act like the whole thing didn't happen at all when in fact it did!" I talked in a rush my words flowing out of my mouth faster then I could think of them. I finally turned to face her done with my rant.

She stared straight ahead with tears streaming down her face.

"Why do you even care? What do you want to know?" I still held on to her arm and I didn't know if I should release her or not. At this point I was afraid she would run for it.

"Because you've been acting odd and it concerns me," That was true but I didn't tell her the other reason. She has been acting odd and it has been bothering me but I also wanted answers. _New_ girlfriend?

"Okay you've answered part of my question. Now what is it you want to know?" She wiped at her face a little more composed then she was at the beginning of the encounter.

"Who was that?"

"That is just an old friend of mine. We went to the same high school only difference is I got my diploma and she didn't."

"The way you guys spoke to each other didn't make her sound like just an old _friend..._ " I put emphasis on the word friend having a feeling-or maybe it was just a hope-that they were more then that.

"What are you implying? That that I'm a dyke or something! You are aren't you?! You just want to see me come unhinged don't you! See me act unprofessional so you can undermine me at work!" Her breathing got heavy and she was now staring me straight in the eyes, unblinking and full of water.

"What no, well I wasn't gonna say dyke. That's a very mean word. I hate that word," Peri dropped her stare not expecting what I had said. She started to cry. I watched my boss have a total break down right in front of me. I was starting to feel uncomfortable and I didn't know what to say. I was about to say the generic 'shh it's okay' when Peri leaned into me and cast her arms around me.

Now I didn't only hear her cry's but I could feel them too. I stood there a moment before I wrapped my own arms around her and laying my head on top of hers. I didn't care if it may have been inappropriate contact to have with my boss she was in pain and I was going to be there to comfort her.

When her sobs started to have longer breaks she was able to whisper three simple words that she struggled to admit. "I-I _am_ gay."

I started to rub her back and figured it to be the right time to go with my generic awkward comforter line. "Shh it's okay."

She lashed out of my grasp and looked at me through blurry eyes.

"No it's not! It's wrong! I'm wrong! You have no idea how much I hate myself for it! I work myself to the breaking point everyday. I've pushed away every friend I've ever had because I don't want them to find out and it end up being they don't want to be friends anyway! I act cold towards every person I meet and I know for a fact everyone who works in that office thinks I'm a bitch. No matter how hard I try to push it down it always has this way of digging it's way back into the open for everyone to see! I hate it! I hate me.."

When she was done she collapsed onto the wet ground; that's when I realized it had been raining. I was so caught up in her words I didn't even notice when the raindrops started to pour down.

I tried to pick her up from the ground but she kept pushing me away.

"Peri it's okay. Let me help you up," I said.

"NO just leave me here. I'm not worth your help! Leave me be!"

"Peri you're talking nonsense! Just because you like women instead of men doesn't make me look at you any differently. Your sexual orientation doesn't define who you are, it's just another piece of you. I like women too does that make me a bad person? By your logic you're saying that I'm wrong too!"

"No you're anything but wrong!" She stood up from the ground real fast, "You're amazing and wonderful and you've been a friend when I had none. I knew the minute I first saw you that I liked you but I still acted cold towards you. I'm sorry for that more then you could ever know," I didn't know how to respond to her words. I knew what I wanted to do but I knew I couldn't kiss her. I just kinda smiled and blushed. It was so out of character for Peri to show such emotion. What she did next though was really out of character and I was so glad she did what I couldn't.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down to her level pressing her lips to mine. I was so surprised I stayed as still as stone not sure as what to do. My lack of movement however did nothing to calm the pulses of heat in my lips and cheeks and odd feelings that spread through my body. It was hard to relax into the kiss as it was so abrupt but finally I was able to close my eyes and move again, kissing Peri back.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you all liked this chapter. It was fun and hard for me to write at the same time. I'm sorry about the long breaks in updates I hope you're still enjoying the story regardless.


	11. Chapter 11

The air was laced with thick uncomfortable awkwardness. With our feelings out in the open we weren't sure what we were to do next. We were both resistant to pull apart not wanting the delicate kiss to end.

It happened gradually but eventually the ice cold air divided us and we stood apart no longer touching. I lowered my gaze to the ground glancing up a few times just to see Peri looking to the ground also. I cleared my throat and finally spoke up.

"So umm..what now?" I asked Peri while I scratched the back of my head. Wow yeah I was real smooth. I looked up when she didn't respond and could tell she was calculating what to say; hesitant to say anything.

"Why don't we go both go to our own homes tonight and think about it. Then you can come over to my home tomorrow after work and we can talk. That way we both have time to process what just happened." Her answer was so logical, it was the smart thing to do yet I was slightly hurt. I know it makes sense to think things over but I really like her and didn't need to think things over. I'm not gonna lie the first time I met her she scared me shitless and I wanted to never have to see her again but sense then I've gotten to know her on a more personal level and have seen what kind of person she truly is.

"Yeah that sounds like a good plan," I answered back hiding how I truly felt about it. I stood there wanting nothing more but to lean in and feel the warmth of her body once again but I felt like she might not want that. She'd made it clear that she needs to think about what she just did.

"Y-yeah, it is. I'll see you tomorrow Lapis." She started heading to the other side of town but I remained standing in the spot I stood in watching her walk away until she was out of sight. That was the first time she called me by my name. I was no longer just an intern to her.

* * *

"Oh My God! I did it. I actually did it!" Peri was dancing around her apartment full of adrenaline. "I kissed Lapis Lazuli," Peri heard what she said and fell down to her knees feeling weak and repeated the words again but not quite as upbeat as before. "I..kissed..Lapis..Lazuli. AHH!"

Peri pulled herself back up slowly and started to pace around her apartment as she was doing before.

"What's gonna happen now? We work together we can't go out, but like what if we don't tell anyone. It would work!I think..." Peri couldn't contain her excitement. Her feelings of resentment towards the girl that spilled her coffee changed so drastically when she saw her again in her office. When she gave Peri her sweater without hesitation. When she cleaned her shirt she stained...without being asked. When she showed she didn't care about her height, something she had always felt insecure about. When she was still kind even when Peri wasn't anything of the sort.

"But what if she doesn't want to go out? What if she just kissed me out of pity.." Peri was all over the place going over the good and then the bad. Her mood changing so drastically in short bursts of time.

Peri started shuffling around her not much bigger apartment then Lapis' had been, getting things that were already organized more organized. She knew she should go to sleep, tomorrow was going to be a long day physically and emotionally. She was tired but to much was happening inside her head.

Organizing something, anything, helped her think clearly and slow down everything that was happening inside her head. It was hard to find something that was cluttered inside her spotless apartment but somehow she found something that she could make more organized.

She would just have to wait and see what happened tomorrow before she jumped to conclusions about how Lapis actually felt about her. She needed to not think about it and just wait until Lapis actually told her how she truly felt.

She flopped down on her bed but she couldn't slow down the one wild thought that was running a mile a minute inside her matter how hard she tried not to think about it she couldn't help but wonder what Lapis was thinking about.

* * *

"Holy shittin crap!" Lapis was just as high strung as Peri was at the moment.

"How did this happen? How did it go from boss-worker relationship to anything but platonic in a matter of seconds!?" Lapis was talking to herself not caring if it was considered weird.

"If anyone found out I'd get fired! I need this internship if I ever want to get a good job in a big office like that! Holy shit! What have we gotten ourselves into. Peri could get fired too!" Lapis jumped startled when a couple of knocks came to the door.

"Peri?" Lapis wondered out loud. She walked over to the door and looked through the peep hole relieved to see her neighbor Sapphire at the door. Lapis opened the door to see what her neighbor wanted.

"Hey Sapphire what's up?" Lapis acted nonchalant not letting Sapphire see that she was feeling very frazzled at the moment.

"I could hear some vulgar yelling coming from your apartment. Are you okay?" Lapis' face turned beat red embarrassed to learn Sapphire and many other of her neighbors had heard her talking out loud.

"Y-yeah. You heard me?"

"Very clearly actually." Sapphire was very composed but the worry on her face was noticeable.

"Come in. I have a lot to tell you."

The rest of Lapis' night was composed of her replaying the day she had to Sapphire who would no doubt fill Ruby in when she got home. She told her everything not leaving out the tiniest of details to make sure Sapphire fully understood the situation she was now in.

"Well do you like her?" Sapphire waited until Lapis was completely done talking to reply. Lapis found the question not very helpful.

"Well yeah I like her. She's very professional and can seem intimidating on the outside but deep down she's a softy." Lapis smiled just thinking about Peri.

"Then that's all you need. If you like her, truly like her, none of the other stuff matters it will work it's way out in time. Just hold on to her and never let go." Sapphire seemed to know what she was talking about when she gave this piece of advice to Lapis.

"Okay. Yeah. I need to think tonight. I'm going over to her place tomorrow to talk about everything."

"That sounds like a good plan. I'll let myself out you need to go get some shut eye." Sapphire smiled at her before exiting the apartment and returning to her own to relay every piece of information Lapis had given Sapphire to her wife.

As Lapis got settled down to try and sleep a little that night all she could think about was what Peri was doing. What was she thinking about?

* * *

Lapis was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she entered the office her heart rate running faster then she could. Her eyes immediately went to Peri's office but the blinds were closed. Was she not there yet or was she gonna act like nothing happened yesterday as to not make anyone in the office suspicious?

Lapis almost fell on her face stumbling over something on the floor. She looked back not remembering seeing anything on the floor that may have been considered a tripping hazard.

She looked back to see nothing but she did catch an evil looking smile on Jasper's face.

"Oh hey Jasper what's up?" She didn't respond but gave Lapis a very dead eyes glare.

"Jasper? Is everything okay?" Lapis inched closer to Jasper's cubical not sure what was going on.

"Sorry I don't speak to people like you." Jasper kept her eyes on her computer screen not even glancing over to Lapis' confused face.

"People like me? What do you mean?" Lapis had a hunch but she was to scared to consider it the reason Jasper was treating her this way.

"You know what I mean. I saw you leave with Ms. Dot when we were at the bar and when you both didn't come in yesterday. Don't treat me like I'm stupid I know there's something between you two and I find that absolutely gross." Lapis bit her cheek trying not to cry.

"But Jasper I thought we were friends?"

"Not anymore. I don't want you to say another word to me. I don't want people thinking I'm associated with you." Lapis backed off trying to not stumble as she walked to her own cubicle. Lapis didn't stand there for very long before she heard the elevator chime and Peri walk through the doors.

Peri was all made up. Back in her usually heals and work clothes but you could tell she took extra time with her hair and make-up. She walked briskly through the office stopping momentarily at Lapis' cube to ask her to meet with her in her office, then she was out of sight.

Lapis peaked behind her to see Jasper watching with a look of disgust on her face. Lapis tried to ignore the eyes she felt on her back as she entered Peri's office and closed the door behind her.

"Hey beautiful." Lapis walked into yet another surprising situation and it was only 9 in the morning.

"What?" Peri's smile vanished when she heard Lapis' confusion.

"Oh..umm..oh I I'm really sorry." Why did she say that so soon. Peri knew she shouldn't have but now it was too late.

"No I'm sorry I was just surprised. I would love to talk about yesterday but right now we have a little situation on our hands." Peri sat down and motioned for Lapis to do the same when she heard the serious tone in her voice.

"What is it?" Peri was growing more anxious by the second to know what was going on.

"Do you know Jasper very well?" Lapis decided to start of by learning if Peri knew anything about her.

"Umm Jasper. Jasper. Big women? Terrible spray tan? Yeah she was hired not more then 2 years ago. She has some buddies here but she pretty much keeps to herself." Peri gave out what information she knew and waited for Lapis to respond.

"Okay well that bar I found you at. I originally went with her and she saw us leave together and is no doubt suspicious. By the short conversation I just had with her I'm pretty sure she's homophobic."

"Oh God." Was all Peri could find to say.

"Yeah that was my reaction exactly."

"You don't think she'll rat on us. She only saw us leave together? She has no proof." Peri started biting her nails. A nervous habit she developed as a young child when she would get in trouble.

"I'm not sure but she definitely isn't going to be friendly anymore I can tell you that much." Lapis was a little frightened about the situation also. They hadn't even declared they were anything yet and they had already been caught.

"What should we do?" Lapis asked hoping sense Peri was at a higher rank in the office she would know what to do.

"I I'm not sure. I've never been in this type of situation before..." It was silent in the tiny little office so when a banging fist came to the office door both women nearly jumped out of there skin.

A deep yet feminine voice came from behind the door when neither Peri or Lapis got up to open it. "Ms. Dot are you in there? May I come in? We have a few things that need to be discussed."

"Who's that!?" Lapis scream whispered at Peri. It took Peri's shocked face a moment to compose itself enough to answer her.

"That's _my_ boss. Owner of this corporation. Ms. Diamond herself."

* * *

 **A/N:** This chapter is broken up into quiet a few pieces and isn't just directly from Lapis' point of view because I wanted to show both Lapis and Peri's reactions. I hope the POV change didn't bother anyone and you enjoyed the chapter :)


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Thank you to all my lovely reader and for all my beautiful reviews! It means a lot to me to know you like my story this much! Just a heads up this chapter is a lot like the last being as it is in third person point of view.

* * *

"Holy shit! Could this day please start getting better, at least a little bit." Lapis cursed under her breath not believing how this day was playing out for the two. It was like the universe was against them!

The door began to ease open, Ms. Diamond was getting impatient knowing Ms. Dot was in her office. Both women shot up out of their seats and scattered even though there wasn't anything wrong with the way they were sitting before.

"Hello? Oh Ms. Dot I did not realize you were busy." Peri was standing at her desk with a few files in her hands and Lapis, who had positioned herself near the door making it look like she hadn't been in the office very long, started to walk over to grab the files.

"That's okay Ms. Diamond. I was just giving my intern her work for the day." Peri turned her attention towards Lapis, "Input all this data into the computer, once you're done you may come check with me for your next task."

"Yes Ma'am." Lapis answered trying to be as professional as possible, but unable to resist she flashed Peri a small smile.

"Ah your new Intern. Hurry along then me and Ms. Dot have some important business to talk about."

"Y-yes of course." Lapis gave Peri a worried good luck face before she left. The door slammed behind Lapis drawing in the stares of everyone in the office. She tried to brush it off as she sat down in her little safe haven where she was out of most everyone's line of sight.

Lapis opened the files Peri had given her looking them over. She wasn't sure if she was actually supposed to enter them in the computer or if Peri only gave them to her as to not look suspicious in front of Ms. Diamond who probably already knew everything if Jasper had ratted them out. Lapis couldn't believe how much hate Jasper must be full of. She had no proof, only her own suspicions and hate.

She glanced over to Peri's office every couple of seconds worried about what was taking place behind the walls and covered windows. The curtains were so thick she couldn't see the silhouettes of the two, it appeared motionless inside.

Lapis sat the files aside deciding to make it look like she was entering them but not actually doing so. She would check with Peri when Ms. Diamond left about that. Lapis started her computer up and splayed the files she had been given across her desk. She then went about organizing other boxes of files, something she knew she actually needed to do.

It was a good half hour before the door reopened and Ms. Diamond emerged, "Now Ms. Dot remember what we talked about it must be done by the end of the day if you want to keep your job." Ms. Diamond was still speaking as she began leaving the private office. Lapis could hear her quite clearly being her cubicle was the closest to Peri's office than anyone else's but due to hushed whispered she knew others had heard too.

Lapis changed gears and started fumbling around on the computer making it look like she was doing the task Peri had given to her. She could feel the hot stare of Ms. Diamond on the back of her head.

"You. Have you finished inputting those files yet?" Ms. Diamond's voice was very deep and intimidating making Lapis stumble over her words.

"No-not yet Ms." Lapis turned to face her superior.

"That's Ms. _Diamond_ to you."

"Yes of course Ms. Diamond. Sorry Ms. Diamond." Lapis bit her tongue before she said another word and made anymore of a fool out of herself than she already had.

Ms. Diamond gave her a look and a head shake that sent shivers down her spine. Ms. Diamond slowly started walking towards the elevator keeping her eyes on Lapis a bit longer then would be considered normal.

Lapis watched as she stopped at Jasper's cubical and gave her a little pat on the back, literally.

"Thank's for the tip Jasper. I can always count on you to report something." Then with those last few words Ms. Diamond waited for the elevator and left the office.

That's it then Jasper had ratted the two of them out! Without proof and Ms. Diamond had listened to her! Lapis decided the universe was definitely out to get her today.

* * *

"Ms. Dot take a seat we have a few things to discuss." Ms. Diamond more slammed then closed the door before walking over and taking a seat across from Peri at her desk.

"Yes Ms. Diamond. What happened that has required you to come talk to me in person?" Peri was in a noticeable sweat never once having had Ms. Diamond come visit her in person. Whenever there had been a problem she had always just called to speak and resolve it. The last time Peri had actually seen Ms. Diamond was when she got this job close to four years ago.

"It's about your new intern. I have gotten some alarming complaints from another employee who has requested their name remain anonymous." Peri's mind immediately jumped to Jasper. That little rat had reported them. Peri was more alarmed about the fact that Ms. Diamond had believed her and gotten down here so fast. Peri knew she was a very busy person being she owned an entire corporation.

"What kind of complaints have been filed about her?" Peri played innocent, maybe she wouldn't get in as much trouble if she acted as though she didn't know anything about the complaint. Which she didn't but she had a pretty good idea of what Jasper may of told her. Employees, probably Jasper, had made small complaints before but Ms. Diamond had always just been able to call to straighten everything out.

Ms. Diamond took out a miniature notebook in which she had notes recorded and put on a pair of reading glasses in order to read her small scribbled words, "Complaint number one. New Intern is not very productive, is lazy, and has a bad attitude. Complaint number two, new Intern leaves early without checking in with anybody on her first day. Finally complaint number three, calling in sick within only a few days of working here. Bottom line is I don't think she's gonna work out in a business like mine." Ms. Diamond pushed her glasses lower on her nose and peered over the two pieces of glass at Peri.

"Well I was unaware of these complaints but you believe all the accusations without any sort of evidence?" Peri could feel herself sweating through her shirt. She was talking back to her superior and she couldn't seem to stop herself. She usually just nodded and agreed and Ms. Diamond would leave with no problems, but not this time not when Lapis was the one being accused.

"I have proof of her not checking in with you before leaving, her signature is lacking on her time card for the correct time she left on her first day of work. There is hardly any noticeable increase in productivity sense she has arrived here. I can guarantee if I went out right now she wouldn't even be done processing those two measly files you gave her. Next time don't question me if you would like to continue your employment here." Peri looked from left to right. How could she defend Lapis without getting fired herself?

"I either want her to be an unpaid intern or be fired, it's her choice." Peri had to think hard, she had to think fast. What was there to do?

"Well umm you see-" Ms. Diamond cut Peri off who didn't actually know where she was going with her sentence.

"And you're going to be the one to give her the two options by the end of the day," Ms. Diamond smiled a devious smile, "That will be all Ms. Dot have a good day." Ms. Diamond got up from her chair and started to exit the office. Peri started to panic.

"But Ms. Diamond-" Ms. Diamond continued walking and opened the door so the office could hear her next words to impart fear into her employees.

"Now Ms. Dot remember what we talked about it must be done by the end of the day if you want to keep your job."

"Y-yes of course." Peri sat at her desk for an extended amount of time after her boss had left her office thinking about what had just happened and what was about to happen. Were those the real complaints or did she make them up so Peri would be posed with the situation of having to fire Lapis. Or were they the actual complaints? Peri sat there trying to accept the fact that she would never truly know.

* * *

Peri didn't know how long it had been but inevitably a knock came to her door and she was hesitant to tell them to come in. At the moment all Peri wanted was to be alone. She didn't want Ms. Diamond to have returned, or Jasper to complain about something else, or any employee there to need her help, and she especially didn't want to face Lapis.

The knock came to the door again. It was quiet and gentle, Peri knew it was Lapis. After a moment of contemplation Peri decided she was as ready as she would ever be, "Come in."

Lapis practically ran into the office, quickly making her way to Peri's side.

"What happened. Is everything alright?" Lapis was worried. Peri wore a very vacant look, her eyes looking off into another universe.

"Peri.." Lapis was scared by the lack of response she was getting.

"Oh yeah umm please sit," Peri finally said without a single blink of her eyes.

"Uh Peri.. I'm already sitting." Lapis was resting on her knees by Peri's side.

"Oh." Peri finally moved her gaze to Lapis. "Okay I'm just gonna be honest. The complaints weren't filed against _us_ they were filed against you for well being a bad employee. Her words not mine I think you're a great worker! Anyway I have to..well...umm..fire you."

Lapis couldn't believe her ears, had she heard correctly. Fired within a week of work? How? Why did the universe hate her? She tried not to show how crushed she felt to Peri.

"Lapis. You also could continue to be an unpaid intern but I wasn't sure if you would want that. I'm really sorry..."

"No." Lapis started to fade into her own little world.

"No? Lapis what is it?" Peri was cautious with her words not wanting to say anything more to upset her.

"This can't be happening. No."

"Lapis honey you're scaring me." Lapis turned to Peri with tears threatening to pool over onto her cheeks.

"Where am I gonna go? Where can I find another job fast? Where am I going to live? What's going to happen to me?" Lapis inevitably broke down. Peri was quick to scoop her up cradling her in a warm hug.

"Shh it's okay. Everything's going to be okay. You can live with me. We can find you a job it will be okay I promise." Peri and Lapis swayed back and forth on their feet as they held each other.

"Really are you sure that would be okay? I wouldn't be imposing?" Lapis was trying to calm down, her sniffling started to slow.

"I would love it if you came to live with me." Peri was calm, she didn't speak a single word she regretted. She truly meant all of it.

"Is it too soon to say.."- Peri swallowed hard, was Lapis really gonna say the L word before they even declared they were dating?- "you're the best." Lapis ended her sentence and looked up to slip Peri a quick wink.

"Ugh." A groan came from outside the office. Peri and Lapis looked over at the same time to see Jasper outside the office door shaking her head slowly at the two. When Lapis had rushed in the office to Peri's side she had forgot to shut the door.

"Hey you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lapis asked her former boss.

"I sure hope so." Once again Lapis got to feel the warm touch of Peri's lips against her own. This kiss was still gentle and delicate but it felt more real, like it was actually happening.

"Disgusting!" Jasper exclaimed to the two storming away.

When the kiss broke both women laughed, they were happy with themselves and what they had done.

Jasper may have complained and gotten Lapis fired but now the two would be able to have a relationship out in the open and not hidden behind closed doors. Jasper had just solved their dilemma on the fact that the two worked together. Now they would be able to be in a relationship without violating any of the corporations polices.

Maybe the universe wasn't out to get Lapis after all.

* * *

 **A/N:** I think I'm going to continue writing this story in third person. I feel like I won't be able to fit everything I want to put in this story writing it in first person. I hope you're okay with the pov change.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** This chapter touches on a sensitive topic so I'm putting up a warning. Reader discretion advised. I don't want to scare you out of reading it but this chapter deals with more real world things then they generally do.

* * *

It didn't take Lapis very long to pack up her small cubical. She had been working at Diamonds Incorporated for less then a week and hadn't accumulated a lot of belongings. The only things in the cubical that were hers was a clock and a miniature calendar that she had hung on one of her short walls. Other things like the desk lamp, computer, and filing cabinets had been there when she had first arrived.

The only thing that had started stacking up in her little cubical were boxes. The boxes had been delivered to her full of files that she had organized neatly into various filing cabinets all around the office. Lapis took it upon herself to take the now empty boxes off of her peers hands and use them for packing. It's not like they would notice a few boxes missing, they were just ordinary cardboard boxes.

Lapis went to Peri's office and entered without knocking, she decided their relationship had now evolved to the point where it was no longer needed.

"Hey Peri?" Peri looked up from her computer monitor and threw a strikingly beautiful smile at Lapis.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I'm done packing up my cubical. I'm gonna take some boxes that have piled up and start packing up my apartment. Do you mind meeting me there when you're off work? I should be done packing by then. I don't have that many things." It was true. Lapis had only been in her apartment a few months and from the lack of money she had only bought the bare necessities for her apartment.

"Of course. I'm off at 6 o'clock. I'll come straight there." Peri was excited. They might be taking things fast being as they hadn't officially deemed themselves as girlfriends yet but under the circumstances of Lapis needing a place to stay Peri thought the gesture of offering Lapis to move in with her was appropriate.

"Okay." Lapis blew Peri a kiss from across the room then closed the door and went about her mission to be packed by that night. Lapis gathered her boxes attempting to get all of them to her place in one trip. They weren't heavy but there was a lot of them to juggle with only two hands.

"So long fag." Jasper muttered just loud enough for Lapis to hear as she was passing by. It took all of Lapis' strength to keep walking towards the elevators and act as though she hadn't heard Jasper's foul words but a part of her just wanted to hurt Jasper for being so mean. Lapis knew she shouldn't fight hate with hate but there was just a part of her that wanted to.

Once Lapis situated her boxes in the elevator she pushed the lobby button and waited. Jasper looked over just as the doors were starting to close, Lapis simply smiled and threw her a peace sign. She knew she needed to fight hate with love but it was so difficult to do so when you lived in a world filled with people like Jasper.

Lapis tried to clear her mind of the terribly orange woman as the elevator was getting close to the ground floor. She collected all her boxes again trying to find an easier way to carry them all.

The boxes towered over Lapis making it hard to see what was in front of her. She had to hold them in an awkward position in order to be able to peer around them.

"LAPIS!?" A child's voice screamed out, it was a familiar sound yet it still startled Lapis enough to make her towers of boxes crumble around her.

"Steven! We use our inside voices in here!" The same woman who had assisted Lapis in finding what floor she needed on her first day of work was now scolding Steven. Wait _Steven_?

"Oh yeah I forgot. Sorry Aunty Pearl...OH Lapis let me help you with that." The two directed their attention back to Lapis who had begun rebuilding the tower of boxes. Steven rushed to her side to assist her in the build.

"What are you doing here Steven?" Lapis was utterly confused, why wasn't he at the music store with his dad like he always was?

"Dad's touring all this week and he said I'm still to young to go with him...so I get to stay with my Aunt Pearl and Amethyst." Steven was disappointed that he couldn't go touring with his Dad but he was excited to spend a whole week with his aunts.

"What is it Lapis?" Steven asked when the silence began growing longer then what felt comfortable.

"Oh nothing I just didn't know you had any aunts." Lapis stated honestly, she had never given it much thought. She had always just thought it was only him and his dad.

"Yup two, they were my Mom's best friends..." Steven got a sad look in his eyes, he had never spoken to Lapis about his mom before. Now Lapis understood why, Steven's eyes had started to glaze over and he got a far off look in his eyes.

"Oh I'm sorry Steven." He took his shirt to wipe at his face before saying anything.

"No no Lapis you didn't do anything wrong." He said but he still had a sad face on.

"Hey Steven I have a special mission for you. Take all these boxes one by one and stack them nice and neatly by the door." Pearl finally decided to chip into Lapis and Steven's conversations that had taken a bit of a sad turn.

"Oh no you don't have to do that Ste-" Steven gasped as his eyes turned starry "A _special_ mission. Just for me. I'm on it!" Steven was back to his cheery usual self as he began taking the boxes and pretending they were boats or airplanes to get across the obstacle course he had created in his head. Lapis enjoyed watching the boy play. He was so happy, so pure, so innocent to all the crime and hate there was in the world he lived in.

"Hi Lapis is it? I'm Pearl." Pearl had gotten closer to Lapis while she had been watching Steven play.

"Yeah. Hi Pearl." It was somewhat awkward for Lapis, she wasn't sure why Pearl was talking to her.

"How do you know Steven?" Now Lapis understood. Pearl was worried how a stranger to her knew her nephew.

"I have played some of my sets at his dads music shop. I even have a album there that's up for sale. Steven's always in there when I go in." Lapis stated a little offended by Pearl's question even though she shouldn't have been.

"Oh you know Greg.." Pearl's attitude changed and it concerned Lapis. Was there something bad that she needed to know about the man?

"Is there something wrong with Greg?" Lapis questioned when Pearl didn't say anything more.

"Oh no not at all. I just don't like him that much for well personal reasons." Pearl was trying to explain herself without giving anything away. She didn't want this nice young lady to think there was something wrong with him though so she decided to give Lapis the short version of the story.

"He's a good guy. He just married my..umm..my best friend. Her name was Rose, she passed during Steven's birth. I'm an honorary Aunt since we weren't related by blood. Greg wanted Steven to have more then just him while growing up and I know Rose would have wanted that too. Neither Rose or Greg had any siblings so that's how my..roommate..who had also known Rose got awarded the title of Aunt. I know it wasn't in his control but I still blame him for Rose not being here sometimes..." Pearl stopped talking. So much for the short version and trying not to reveal to much to a semi stranger.

"Oh I'm so sorry for your loss." Lapis replied to Pearl's story. She felt bad for Steven. That's why he never talked about his mom..he never knew his mom.

"Mission completed!" Steven ran back to Pearl and Lapis with a grin on his face that spread to both his ears, he was so full of joy. Lapis had to hold back the water that threatened to show itself in her eyes. Steven's story hit so close to home for Lapis. Lapis' father had died when she was only a few years old. She didn't remember anything about him and she had always felt empty growing up, like there was a piece of her missing. Lapis looked down to the young boy who despite having been dealt a sour hand in life still smiled with joy and was full of laughter at every turn, Lapis envied him for that.

"Good job Steven." Lapis ruffled Steven's hair as she went to the door where he had neatly stacked all of her boxes.

"Do you need any help with them?" Pearl asked politely.

"Nah I think I'm good. Thank you anyway." Lapis picked up her falling hazards and Steven ran to open the door for her, it would complete his mission to see the boxes out.

"Okay..and Lapis?" Pearl called out as Lapis was almost completely out of the building. She looked back thinking Pearl had called her because she had left a box behind. "Thank you for listening," Pearl finished.

"Anytime." Lapis replied to Pearl's kind words before setting out on her journey to _safely_ get all her boxes home in one trip.

* * *

Packing was taking Lapis longer then she had thought. She had called her landlord to let him know she would be moving out, she had almost a week before she would need to pay for another months rent so she was determined to fully move out and clean the apartment before that time arrived.

When Lapis first moved in she wasn't sure how long she would be there so she had signed a month to month lease instead of a full year and she was thankful for that now. Her landlord had been lenient and agreed, he would still get the same amount of money so he didn't care.

Marty, Lapis' landlord, didn't answer the phone when she called so she left him a message and went about packing up her belongings. It wasn't more then an hour later when he came knocking on her door.

"You're leaving! On such short notice!" Lapis had barely opened the door when Marty's loud stinky breath entered her apartment.

"Well yeah. I'm giving you a weeks notice. That should be enough time right? I have a month to month lease remember.." Lapis was confused. Marty had been so kind to her when she had first moved in...who was this monster that was standing in her doorway now?

"No you need to give me another months rent!" Marty was breathing heavy infuriated, about losing a resident, about losing money.

"What? Why? I'm not going to be living here. My lease will be up I'm not just gonna pay you another months rent if I'm not going to be here. I don't have money that I can just throw away." Lapis was starting to get irritated. It wasn't like he could do anything. Her lease would be over at the end of the month and he would have no power over her to make her pay another month's rent.

"Well you know if you don't have the money there are other means of paying me." Marty forced his way into Lapis' apartment getting uncomfortably close. Lapis was becoming frightened by the man.

"I have money! But I sure as hell am not going to pay you for a month of rent when I won't be living here! That would be a waste of money for me!" Lapis raised her voice. She felt like she was talking to a brick wall.

"Oh come on don't be like that." Marty kept moving closer pinning Lapis against the nearest wall.

"What are you doing!" Lapis was becoming hysterical, this wasn't actually happening to her? Was it?

"Shhh just let this happen." Marty had become a slobbering mess going to work on Lapis' neck.

Lapis let out of scream of horror to which Marty took his hand and covered her mouth with such force Lapis couldn't remove it. "Shut up!" He yelled at her afraid that someone would hear them and he wouldn't get the satisfaction of receiving his payment. "Just sit back and I'll do all the work." Marty grinned an evil smile at her.

Lapis tried to relax for a moment to think of a plan as Marty slobbered all over her neck. She needed to think, she had lost her voice and he had pinned most of her upper body to the wall with his own body. She however was still in control of the bottom half of her body. She needed to think fast before her opportunity for escape closed.

Marty took Lapis' lack of struggle as her submission. He let up on his hold a little and slowly began letting his guard down. It was a bad move for him but gave Lapis the perfect opening she had been waiting for.

When she felt as though she could remove his hand from her face she knew it was time. Lapis mustered up all the strength she had and sent her knee up flying at Marty to the place that would hurt him most.

"OWW!" Marty let out a scream of pain as he fell to the floor and rolled himself up into the fetal position. Lapis' adrenaline was rushing so fast through her veins she could feel her heartbeat throughout her entire body.

"Don't you ever! Set your hands on me again! Unless you want it to be the last thing you do!" Lapis gave another quick kick in between his knees just for good measure when he had begun trying to stand up again.

Lapis left Marty laying on her living room floor and retreated into her neighbors apartment for safety as she dialed the cops to report who she once thought was a nice guy.


	14. Chapter 14

The sirens rang loud in Lapis' head as they got closer and closer to the apartment buildings she resided in. She had taken refuge in Ruby and Sapphire's apartment and had attempted to explain the situation in which she had just escaped from.

Ruby was furious and if it wasn't for Sapphire she probably would have went across the hall and did some things she might have regretted later. Sapphire kept calm throughout the entire situation, she knew panicking would not help Lapis nor Ruby.

Sapphire took watch at the door and spied through the peep hole to make sure Marty didn't try to leave Lapis' apartment before the cops arrived. Ruby sat with Lapis on the couch and tried to comfort her. Lapis had been able to control her emotions while she was in the situation but now that she out of it she couldn't stop her tears. She still couldn't believe it was real, he had been so nice to her before, she thought he was someone she could trust.

Garnet had been sent to her room. Ruby and Sapphire didn't want her to be present if there was a big commotion with Marty and the cops when they arrived to pick him up.

Ruby and Sapphire had wrapped Lapis in a blanket when she had first arrived at their door and had been talking in short hard to understand bursts. Lapis was shivering but she was not cold in any way shape or form, she actually felt quiet hot inside the blanket.

Lapis' spine crawled with the thought of what could have happened to her and she couldn't push the horrible visions from her brain. She shivered from thinking about the horrendous scenarios and from the feeling of the dried saliva that was still on her neck. The whole ordeal had brought back many terrible memories she had tried her entire life to erase from her mind.

She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket but didn't look to see who was calling her. Her mind felt to fuzzy at the moment to even bother messing with her phone.

"They're here." Sapphire spoke for the first time sense taking watch at the front door. Ruby shot up and went to Sapphire's side wanting to sneak a peak of Marty getting hauled off.

The pair of cops entered Lapis' apartment. The front door had been left wide open when Lapis had fled from her apartment. There was no struggle to obtain Marty, nothing could be heard from where Lapis was sitting on her neighbors couch.

"They got him!" Ruby shouted glad the rotten old man had his hands behind his back, cuffed. His head was hanging down, he seemed unconscious.

Sapphire opened the door and stepped into the hallway, she however did close the door behind her cutting Lapis' ability to hear. She thanked the cops for getting there as fast as they did. She hadn't been gone for more then a few seconds when she peaked her head back inside.

"Lapis they want you out here." Lapis was cautious. She kept her hold on the blanket as she walked out into the hallway afraid that Marty would be there. When she stepped out she saw no sign of Marty just a cop and she looked extremely intimidating in Lapis' opinion, cops frightened her.

"Hello Ma'am I'm officer Sadie Miller. I would like to bring you down to our station and ask a few questions." Lapis' heart jumped into her throat.

"W-why? Why do you need to bring me down? I've already told you what happened here why do I need to tell you again?! Did I do something wrong?" Lapis was slightly panicking. She just wanted Peri to be there and for the two of them to go to her apartment. She didn't want to have to tell anyone anything else about this and she definitely didn't want to go to the same place where _he_ would be taken to.

"Don't worry you're not in trouble. We just want to make sure to have our facts straight and that we have a thorough story from both sides." Officer Miller spoke calmly trying to not overwhelm the victim.

"Wait both sides? What do you mean both sides?" Now Lapis was a bit angry. How did _he_ deserve a side?

"Ma'am please calm down every person gets a chance to relay the events that took place." The police officer looked to her watch. They needed to get going.

"Is it just you here? I'm not going to be in the same car as him am I?!" Lapis could feel her panic slowly beginning to rise again. She never wanted to see that man ever again.

"No my partner Lars has already taken him to his police car. They are probably already back at the station by now."

"Look Lapis it's okay. Just go down there tell them what happened and I can come pick you up after." Sapphire tried her best to reassure Lapis that it would be okay. Sapphire wasn't sure if it was enough to actually convince her though.

"No you don't have to do that Sapphire I'll be fine. Here" Lapis unwrapped the blanket from around her and handed it to Sapphire, she then returned her attention to the police office. "Okay let's go."

* * *

Officer Miller led Lapis down two flights of stairs and out to the police car. It wasn't very light out, in a couple more hours night would fall over the entire city.

"Lapis! What's going on!?" Peri stormed over to Lapis and threw her arms around her. Both of them were on the verge of tears. Peri had been walking to Lapis' apartment to help her begin moving when the cop cars came into view and her heart skipped a beat.

She had of course assumed the worst and became sickeningly worried that something terrible had happened to Lapis. The police did not allow her to enter the building in till they went in to do what they were there to do. When Peri had asked questions they met her with no answers. She had been stuck out on the sidewalk coming up with the worst possible scenarios that only got worse when Lapis hadn't answered her phone.

When Lapis walked out of the building a weight lifted up off of Peri and she could feel the air fill her lungs up fully once again.

"It's okay, it's okay..I'm okay." Lapis felt bad. She had totally forgotten that Peri was coming over to get her...she was probably the one who had called. Lapis' mind had just been taken away to other things when Marty had tried to do unspeakable things to her...How was she gonna tell Peri about it?

"Are you sure? You're shaking...what happened?" Peri knew whatever happened it _had_ happened to her Lapis. It might have not been a murder, the original conclusion her brain had jumped to, but she could tell it was still bad.

"Ma'am we need to get moving." Officer Miller was standing beside her police car with the back door opened for Lapis to get in.

"Lapis..." Peri was getting a sick feeling in her stomach again. Why did Lapis need to get in the back seat of the police car?

"Why the back seat?" Peri blurted the question out at the police officer.

"It's just regulation sorry."

"Look Peri I need to go. I'll talk to you later." She let go of the embrace the two had been in and kept her gaze facing the ground. She didn't want to meet Peri's eyes. She didn't want Peri to find out what happened and she felt like her eyes told the whole story. Lapis began walking towards the cop car.

"No I'll come with you!" Peri rushed over, she didn't want Lapis to leave her, not now. "Can I come too?" Peri looked to the police office to see if it would be okay. Sadie gave a nod approving Peri's request.

"You can come along we just need to leave now." Peri scurried into the back of the cop car with Lapis and Officer Miller shut the door on the two.

"Peri you really don't have to do this." It was a kind gesture and as much as she wanted Peri to be there with her she also didn't want her to be there. She wanted her to find out what happened later rather than sooner.

"It's okay Lapis you don't need to act tough. Let it out I'm here for you." Peri had her arm around Lapis' shoulders and the other was tracing soft circles on Lapis' palm.

It was true Lapis was trying to act tough in front of Peri, she didn't want her to know that what had happened was actually deeply bothering her. It reminded her to much of her past, the past she had spent her whole life trying to escape from.

Lapis looked to Peri who had been watching her intently trying to figure out what was running through her head. Lapis saw innocence in Peri's eyes. It reminded her of how Steven's young eyes twinkled with nothing but purity at her.

Peri was so sweet and despite being older then Lapis she could tell by the way Peri's eyes sparkled at her that there was a lot of innocence left in her soul. Something that had been stolen from Lapis at a very young age.

"Oh Peri." Lapis leaned her entire body into Peri's and started to sob into her neck. Lapis hadn't thought she would have to tell her about her past so soon. She thought it was a long way down the road.

Peri held Lapis close to her. She never wanted to let go, to see the pain in her face. The two held each other the entire way to the police station and when they arrived and had to get out of the car they grabbed each other's hands and held on tight.

* * *

The police station was much larger and more complex then either women initially thought it would be. Was there really so much crime in Chicago that the police station alone had to be this big?

Upon entering the building Sadie was met with another officer who appeared quiet tall when he stood next to her.

"Hey Big Donut. Just locked the guy up do you need any help?" The tall officer acted very casual in front of Lapis and Peri. Like he didn't even notice them...more like he didn't care actually.

"No Lars I've got this. Go get started on the paper work I'll come help after I'm done." Officer Miller acted very professional even when talking with her coworker.

"Ugh yeah I should. Come help as soon as you can. I don't know how much more paper work I can handle." The tall man almost appeared to drag his feet as he sauntered over to his desk.

"Big Donut?" Peri spoke up very confused.

"Yeah that's a nickname I've acquired over the years. I just eat a lot of donuts and well I'm not the skinniest so yeah.." Office Miller looked like she was trying to stand up taller and suck in her gut. Lapis swallowed hard. The fact that her police officer got uncomfortable that easily made Lapis a little nervous for what was to come.

There was an endless maze of hallways and lots of private rooms for various things such as interrogation and questioning. They even passed by a few holding cells one in which Marty had been placed in.

He was lying on his bunk with his eyes closed so Lapis and Peri were able to walk by him without being noticed. Lapis had already been met with one of her fears of coming down to the police station. She never wanted to see that man again but it was to late for that, she saw him lying there and it was worse then she had imagined. Everything came flooding back to her making her feel queasy.

Lapis' stomach churned as she took everything in. She wanted to go back in time and do things differently, she wanted to change the course of events that lead to that terrible moment and this terrible situation. She wanted that so badly but she knew she couldn't have it. She did have Peri though and at that moment Lapis realized that was all she needed.

"Right in here Ma'am." Officer Miller opened up a door leading into one of many rooms used for questioning victims and criminals alike.

Lapis headed straight into the room in which a most uncomfortable conversation would be held but she walked into the room unshaken; Lapis was ready.

She held onto Peri's hand and lead her into the room. Lapis knew she would need to tell Peri about her past soon enough and she had decided she didn't want to hide anymore. She wanted to be with Peri, she _wanted_ Peri, and in order for Lapis to have her she needed to be completely honest and open up about her past.

"Can she stay with me?" Lapis questioned the officer.

"That depends," Officer Miller directed her speech towards Peri. "Are you presenting your own story regarding the events that took place earlier today."

"N-no," Peri stuttered. She too was nervous being in the police station.

"Then yes she can stay for support." Officer Miller directed the two into chairs at a large stone table and then proceeded to positioning herself in a chair across from the two.

"Okay I want a full honest report. Tell me exsactly what happened leading up to the incident with Marty." Lapis took a breath and found a spot on the far wall to look at while she spoke.

"It started not more then a few hours ago. I had gone home to begin packing to move and..and I called Marty to let him know I was leaving. I have a month to month lease agreement with him so I thought he would be no trouble and understand when I told him I was leaving. He however showed up to my apartment later and demanded I pay another month's rent and when I made the sane point of "why would I do that if I wasn't going to be living there" he simply said to me...if I didn't have the money there was other means of paying him..." Despite having Peri's arm around Lapis' back she still began to shiver when she was finished speaking.

"Oh Lapis." She may have not been crying but Peri could feel tears began falling down her own face. She couldn't believe her ears. She had been with her just that morning. When Lapis had left her office she looked so happy and ecstatic to start moving. Why did bad things happen to good people?

"Is this the first incident?" Officer Miller asked as she continued writing down notes.

Lapis hesitated with her answer, here came the part that she had dreaded the most, "No."

"No?" Both Officer Miller and Peri said in unison. Sadie gave Peri a look that made her close her mouth and resume only listening.

"When was the first incident with Marty." Lapis' heart leaped into her throat. She had misunderstood the question.

"No no..I mean..yes this is the first incident...with Marty."

* * *

 **A/N** : So yeah I hadn't originally planned on Lapis' backstory to be _this_ dark but oh well I like where the story line is going. I hope all you lovely readers like it too. :)


	15. Chapter 15

*Twelve Years Ago*

It was dark in the house. It was actually always dark in the house the way Lapis remembered it. Even when the light was on and the sun was shining through the curtains all Lapis could remember was how darkness consumed her entire life.

Lapis' father had been gone for six years now at least that's what Mommy said. She never spoke about him just that he was taken too soon. Lapis was only four years old when he went away and when she went asking questions about him later in her life she was only ever met with those five words.

There were always lots of guys cramped into the small apartment with Lapis and her mother Sugilite. It was okay during the day they all usually just hung around the apartment smoking and watching movies. The smoking used to bother Lapis but after awhile she got used to it and stopped complaining. She only ever did get yelled at when she complained.

Sugilite and the guys, always too many to remember all their names, would touch each other in odd ways. Sugilite always said it was okay and to look away if Lapis was uncomfortable. Lapis always found herself trying to lose herself in the movie that was playing and block it out. Sugilite said it was okay and Lapis listened and believed her mothers words to be true.

It was night time when Lapis went to her bedroom and her mother and all the guys that had been hanging around that day went into the other room and strange noises starting seeping out of the walls and into Lapis ears. It happened every night and the following day different guys came over and the process repeated itself.

One day was a little different though. It was Lapis' 10th birthday and the guys still came over and they still touched her mother but there was a cake and a few balloons and a present; a _big_ present.

Lapis' mother made her wait all day for her to open the largest birthday present she had ever been given and when Lapis was finally allowed to she was not disappointed. It was a guitar. Lapis had seen people playing them on T.V and ever sense she heard how beautifully they sounded she wanted one of her own. She already had one she cut out of cardboard and had practiced finger placement for chords.

"Mom. It's beautiful. Thank you." Lapis was lost for words. This had to be the nicest gift her mother had ever given her.

"Well it's probably the only thing you'll be getting for awhile so you better enjoy it." Those were surely Sugilite's words but Lapis didn't let them ruin her mood. She had a guitar of her own and she was going to learn how to play it so well.

It was the best day of Lapis' life in till night fell and something happened that had never occurred before. While the strange noises were filling up the apartment Lapis was strumming on her guitar trying to tune the strings and play a few chords she knew well when her door creaked open. It was one of Sugilite's playmates.

"Oh umm hello Sir." Lapis said sheepishly not knowing his name.

"Hello little girl do you want to play a game with me?" The man walked in and shut the door, his walk was clumsy.

"Oh umm well sure why not. What do you want to play? Would you like me to teach you a chord on my guitar." Lapis actually didn't want him to touch her guitar but she didn't want to be rude to him either.

"No let's play a game I know. Why don't you just lie down on your back and close your eyes. No matter what I do you have to keep them closed or you lose." Lapis was a little skeptical but it kinda sounded fun. Maybe he would make loud noises in her ear or tickle her or try to trick her into opening her eyes.

"Yeah okay sure." Lapis was up for the challenge.

The man practically jumped on top of her making her scream but laugh, so far the game was fun but then it went downhill from there. He started kissing her neck and touching her like Lapis watched him touch her mother during the day time. Lapis let him though her mother had told her it was okay and Lapis listened and believed her mothers words to be true.

* * *

*The Present*

Lapis had broken down drained of all the strength she had left in her for the day. She cried and she cried hard. It was difficult to understand her words and follow the story she was telling the police officer and Peri through her sobs.

It was hard for her to talk about something she vowed she would never even think about ever again but somehow she worked through it and let it all out in the open. She felt broken but she was proud that she finished the whole story of when she was young.

When her father had died her mother had been enwrapped in so much grief she buried that grief with meaningless one night stands some of which had gotten bored with Sugilite and moved on to Lapis.

Lapis had been exposed to it from as far back as she could remember that she didn't find it odd or strange in anyway until she got older. She saw stuff on T.V and read stuff in books and nothing ever really resembled what her family life was like. Things traveled fast through school and soon she realized what had been happening wasn't right.

By the time she discovered what had actually been happening to her she thought it was too late to tell anyone so she buried it down deep and hoped no one would find out, because Lapis didn't know what would happen to her if they did. Would they put her into foster care or juvie if there were no homes available? Lapis had decided she never wanted to find out.

The questioning was soon over but Lapis continued to cry and Peri did her best to comfort her on the ride home. It was a little awkward with the taxi driver though so she waited until they reached Peri's apartment to really talk about it.

Lapis' vision was blurry but when they got out of the taxi and stepped into Peri's apartment building she could tell it was nicer then her own. Peri's apartment was on the eight floor out of the ten story high building so they took the elevator.

There had been an elevator in Lapis' apartment building but it was always broken. Something Marty had always claimed he would get around to fixing...Lapis could feel her tears start up again. Her mind had inevitably made it's way back to Marty.

"Oh sweety shh shh it's okay." Peri noticed the pick up in Lapis' tears and tried her best to let Lapis know she was there for her. She held her tight in the elevator, they swayed back on forth on their feet slightly.

Peri helped Lapis in her apartment and sat her down on the couch while she went to get a blanket from her bed to wrap themselves in.

"Peri..I'm really really sorry." Lapis looked to the now shorter women who had taken her heels off. Peri made her way beside Lapis and cast the large green blanket around the two of them.

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Peri knew Lapis had been through a lot that day and it had all finally caught up to her but she had nothing to be sorry about.

"I'm just sorry about my past and how..broken I am."

"Lapis you're not broken-" Peri had begun to say but was cut off.

"Not broken! I shouldn't be siting here on your couch right now balling my eyes out. We should be moving boxes and having fun doing...other things." Lapis felt like she had ruined their day.

"You can't control what happened to you in your past, it's not your fault any of that happened. It's okay Lapis I can go get your stuff tomorrow. You don't even have to come if you don't want to walk back in your apartment." Peri was trying to be as considerate as possible, she wanted to help Lapis in anyway she could.

"No you don't have to do that. Look Peri I want to know right now if this is all to much for you. If it is I understand, I can stay somewhere else. We haven't yet declared we are anything so we don't have to become anything at all if this is too much for you." Lapis was trying not to cry. She wanted Peri's honest opinion and she didn't want Peri's choice to be affected by her tears. She didn't want Peri to be with her just out of pity.

"It is a lot I will admit. I hadn't expected any of it. It might be hard to work through it all but we will be able to."

"How do you know that for sure? How do I know you won't decide halfway through that I'm not worth all the effort?" Lapis knew she was asking stupid questions but at the moment she felt more insure then she ever had before in her life.

"Because something that is even more difficult and painful for me then working through the past is thinking about living the rest of my life without you." Now Peri was starting to cry. She had developed such powerful feelings for Lapis that just the thought of living without her was painful to think about. Peri got up off the couch and down on one knee in front of Lapis, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Lapis tried to control her laughter. Peri's gesture of kneeling down filled Lapis with joy. She didn't think it was funny in a mocking way she thought it was funny because that's just how Peri was. She was silly and innocent and only she would have kneeled down for Lapis to ask her to be her girlfriend. She was one of a kind and that's what Lapis loved the most about her.

Peri didn't know it but she helped Lapis forget and accept her past. No one had ever been there for her like Peri was. Peri was a light in Lapis' life, she made the bad things in her past that had revisited her today all fade away.

"Of course I will." Lapis leaned over and sealed her words with a kiss. Slowly Peri made her way up off of the floor and back in the blanket with Lapis. It was the longest kiss the two had ever shared and neither one wanted it to end but inevitably it did.

Peri's phone began to ring startling both of them. "You can get that if you want." Lapis said as she decided to move her lips to Peri's neck.

"Ah! No it it can go to voicemail." Peri said almost deciding to answer it. She had never had someone kiss her anywhere besides her lips and the shock that it sent down her spine almost made her panic. She didn't think Lapis would be ready to do anything like this for a little while considering the events that took place so recently.

"Do you want to move this to the bedroom?" Lapis asked. She had moved on from what had happened that day. She was used to it and had become immune to the non-consensual acts against her.

"You mean to sleep?" Peri said even though she knew what Lapis had meant.

"Oh umm yeah." Lapis looked up to Peri. She looked..sick? It suddenly dawned on her. Peri's eyes had a twinkle just like Steven's. Lapis had never gave it much thought until now.

"Peri? How old are you?" Lapis knew she was older but she didn't know by how much.

"How old am I? Does it matter?" Peri swallowed hard, she was acting to obvious. Lapis knew..

"No I was just curious." Lapis said with her hands on Peri's sides.

"I'm 25..." Peri said trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Lapis laid her head against Peri's chest and looked to a clock on the wall, it was already 2 in the morning.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Lapis asked her.

"To sleep?" Peri questioned again nervous to hear Lapis' answer.

"Yes to sleep. And we can talk and snuggle and.." Lapis was trying to ease Peri's very obvious nerves but she wasn't doing the best job.

"O-okay."

* * *

Peri led Lapis down the hall, her bedroom was at the very end to the right. She had a spare room right across the hall that she had her office set up in. It was just a desk and her computer and lots of cabinets for organizing things.

Peri re-positioned the large queen sized blanket on her bed.

"Do you want some pajamas to wear?" Peri questioned her sense she was wearing jeans but then was afraid nothing would fit her. Lapis was about a foot taller then Peri. The clothes would be to short for her.

"No that's alright...actually can I take my pants off.." Lapis questioned, she usually slept in her underwear and a t-shirt anyway. Thinking about it Lapis wasn't even sure if she owned a pair of pajama pants.

"Oh umm yeah whatever you feel comfortable sleeping in." Peri had to admit she could feel the heat rise to her face when she thought about Lapis without pants on.

There was an awkward moment when both women just stood on either sides of the bed not doing anything. "Sooo I'm gonna just go get ready for bed real quick. You can get yourself comfortable." As Peri spoke out loud everything that had sounded good in her head sounded bad out loud. She tried to forget hoping Lapis would take the words innocently and quickly slipped into her bathroom.

Peri was a creature of habit and couldn't go to sleep without doing her nightly routine of brushing her teeth and cleaning her face. When she was done she made her way back to her bedroom where Lapis was waiting for her. Peri swallowed hard when she saw Lapis in bed under the covers and her pants in a pile on the floor.

"Are you going to change?" Lapis asked seeing Peri was still in the same clothes.

"Oh umm yeah." Peri hesitated. She usually wore booty shorts to bed that had a green alien print on them but Lapis already didn't have pants on..

"Peri I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I can put my pants back on." Lapis said when she saw Peri had freezed up in front of her dresser, she knew why Peri was acting odd.

"No no you're fine I'm just gonna.." Peri took out her booty shorts from her dresser. "Can you close your eyes for a second." Lapis thought for a moment looking to Peri.

"Why?" Lapis asked her.

"Just while I change." Lapis didn't want to rush Peri in anything so she agreed to close her eyes, "Okay."

Peri quickly peeled her jeans from her skin, jumped into her shorts, and flew under the covers.

Lapis made her way over to Peri to entangle her arms and legs with her and she felt her bare skin touch Peri's. She was wearing shorts..short shorts. Lapis didn't comment on, she didn't want to make her feel self conscious. Lapis continued arranged herself in a comfortable position laying her head on Peri's chest.

Peri's heart rate was running a mile a minute. This was so new to her and she was afraid Lapis might want to go faster then her.

"So what do we talk about first?" Peri asked not knowing what to ask Lapis. She just shrugged her shoulders and the two sat in dark silence together.

"I actually do have a question," Lapis spoke up after awhile." I want you to know it doesn't matter what the answer is but if we are going to move farther into this relationship I think it's an important piece of information." Lapis weighed what she said very carefully.

"Okay..." Peri said now wishing she had asked the first question.

"Are you a virgin?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Haha yes this is the end of the chapter, I feel kinda evil:P On another note this is the longest chapter I've written and I want to know if it's _too_ long? Reviews are always appreciated :3


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Thank you all for the kind words and feedback! It was helpful to know that you liked the length of the chapters. I'm aiming to keep these chapters hovering around the 3,000 mark which is leaps and bounds better then the first couple chapters of this story. Now that I'm done talking, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

*Flashback – 4 years ago*

"Oh come on P-dot just do it, it's legal now," Amethyst was badgering her girlfriend to do the shot.

"But why?" Peri felt let down. When Amethyst had told her they were going to have 'the best date ever' the last thing she was expecting was to be taken to a bar.

"Cause it's fun and it will make you feel good. The drinks will help you to relax." Amethyst thought bringing her girlfriend to a bar on her twenty-first birthday was the perfect idea. It would all be new and exciting for Peri, at least that's how she thought Peri would react. Instead she seemed...disappointed.

The wait to be able to take Peri to a bar had practically killed Amethyst who was a few years older than her girlfriend. The bar was one of Amethyst's favorite places to hang out where she was always guaranteed to have a good time. She wanted to share that with her girlfriend of almost a year and being who Peri was she did not allow Amethyst to try and sneak her in before she was of legal age. Now she was old enough and the night was not going how Amethyst had imagined it would.

"I'm perfectly relaxed right now." Peri stated having no interest at all in downing the dark liquid. She knew in appropriate quantities it would not affect her but she was still wary. She knew what the liquid was capable of doing to her brain and she didn't want to risk it. She had watched it destroy her parents, she wasn't going to let it destroy her too.

"No you're not! Why can't you just have fun for a change!" It was no secret, even to them, that their personalities clashed now and again. It was okay though because they always made up and worked through it. The fighting however Peri was not fond of and she was beginning to get fed up with it.

They were best friends all through high school despite Peri being in the top five of her graduating class and Amethyst barely maintaining a 1.5 grade point average throughout the three years she actually attended. Amethyst was always a bit behind in school so they ended up being in multiple classes together despite the age difference.

They were very close so when Amethyst had asked Peri out on a date date, something Peri had to confirm she heard correctly, she was skeptical about saying yes. What would it do to their current friendship if they ever broke up? Peri was worried being as Amethyst was her only real friend but she said yes anyway. Sitting on that bar stool next to Amethyst with a chorus of people who were currently drunk out of their skulls made Peri wish she would have said no.

"Sorry Amethyst I need to go home." Peri gave Amethyst an apologetic look as she worked her way off the bar stool and set her feet steadily on the ground. She felt very uncomfortable at the moment and wanted nothing more then to be out of the bar and very far away from it. It wasn't her fault that she found fun in different things then Amethyst did.

"No I'm sorry Peri why don't I come with you." Amethyst felt bad but maybe the night wasn't over yet. It had nearly been a year since the two had starting dating and Peri made it very clear from the beginning that she wanted to wait a while before the relationship got physical.

Peri seemed very closed in about the subject so she didn't go asking questions. Amethyst had assumed that Peri had just broken up with someone so she respected her choice to wait. She hinted at the possibility now and again though. It had almost been a year and if she wasn't over it now she never would be.

"I don't think that would be a good idea Amethyst." Peri's tone was quiet as she was on the verge of tears. They were gonna fight...again.

"Why not?" Amethyst said, her voice laced with irritation. It felt like all her girlfriend ever did was push her away.

"I just don't okay? Good night." Peri walked quickly trying to escape the bar. She didn't want to fight inside and make a scene in front of everybody. Amethyst was right on her heels and once outside she let her anger loose.

"What the hell Peri! It's your birthday! Why can't I come over?!" Amethyst grabbed onto Peri not letting her run away before they were finished speaking.

"I-I don't feel very good," Peri lied. "I just want to go home and sleep it off." Peri started taking a few steps back wanting to be free of her current situation.

"Peri you're lying." Amethyst's words sent Peri's eyes flying towards the ground, she wasn't easily fooled.

"Amethyst please, I'll call you tomorrow."

"No Peri. We've been going out for an _entire_ year. I want to know now, is this relationship going anywhere or not?" Amethyst felt like she had waited all she could for this answer. Maybe Peri had never like Amethyst had thought she had and that's why she was always so distant.

"What do you mean?" Peri feigned innocence. She knew exactly what Amethyst was talking about Peri just didn't want to have _that_ conversation now.

"I mean a lot of things Peri! Do you see this relationship going anywhere? Do you see us staying together, partying and ultimately growing old together?" Amethyst took a pause and lowered her voice slightly "Do you see our relationship getting physical?" She wasn't going to beat around the bush any longer.

"Ph-physical?" Peri stumbled on the word knowing what Amethyst had in mind.

"Yes Peri! Are we ever going to have sex!" Peri was frightened by the words. Sex had always frightened her, just the thought made her face get hot and her hands sweaty.

"Well I umm...you see." Peri wasn't sure what she was trying to say so she closed her mouth not allowing another sound to fall out of it.

"Look it's okay if you don't like me like that Peri, I understand. What I don't understand is why you would keep me in the dark for so long. Goodbye P-dot." Without another word Amethyst left Peri out in the street knowing her words were correct when Peri made no move to stop her. Having been her best friend she knew Amethyst had slept around a lot and deep down she didn't fully trust her like she should have.

Amethyst made her way back into the bar to bury their break up in booze and maybe a one night stand. Peri on the other hand didn't have alcohol to dull her pain with, instead she had work to do and plenty of it. Peri's pain was different, while Amethyst lost a girlfriend Peri felt like she lost a girlfriend and a best friend she knew she would never get back.

Over the years the two forgave each other and returned to being friends but it would never be like it was before. Peri's lingering pain revisiting her each day when she went in to order her coffee and the conversation between her former best friend was strained.

They were just two very different people and that was okay, that's why they were such great friends from the day they met. Amethyst helped Peri to relax and not be such a worry wart about everything and Peri helped Amethyst to think a little deeper and analyze much larger and complex problems. They were prefect for each other just in a platonic way.

Maybe Peri was ready now to do something she had greatly feared her entire life because unlike Amethyst she liked Lapis in a not so platonic way. When she looked at Lapis she saw someone mature like herself whom she could trust _every_ detail of her life with. Peri decided she was ready to open up, if only just a little bit.

* * *

*The Present*

"Yo Earth to Peri. Peri to Earth. Are you in there?" Lapis had become worried after she asked the question and Peri was unresponsive for a concerning about of time. It happened slowly but by the time Peri snapped out of it Lapis was directly on top of her.

"Oh Lapis! Sorry I kinda zoned out there..." Peri looked to the face that was now above her instead of beside her. Peri had been so lost in the memories of the past that she didn't know when Lapis had moved. She tried not to freak out but they had never been that close before that inevitably a squeal escaped her lips.

Lapis who was just glad that Peri appeared to be back in the real world realized why the position she was in might cause Peri some anxiety.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll move." Lapis started to shift her weight back onto the bed and off of Peri but she was stopped.

"No no you're okay..Stay." Peri pulled Lapis up against her so no air could travel between the two. Peri wrapped her arms around Lapis' back and held on tight. She was ready to talk, ready to be honest but she didn't want to be looked at while she spoke. It would be easier if Lapis could only hear her words and not see the expressions that went with them.

"Define virgin?" Peri said beating around the bush even when she had decided she wasn't going to hide. It was just difficult for her to say yes. She knew that made it pretty obvious to Lapis what the answer was but Peri had a feeling she had already known before she had asked.

"Peri I'm not judging you, it's okay if you are. I let you in on a lot of personal information today, I just wanted to know something personal about you so I didn't feel so exposed." Lapis cuddled up closer to Peri, if that were even possible. She felt so warm and cozy having Peri's arms wrapped around her.

Peri on the other hand didn't feel quiet as comfortable at the moment. It was difficult opening up and letting someone into something she felt so ashamed of, Peri had always held the card thinking it meant she was undesirable. What she didn't know is Lapis was genuinely okay with her being a virgin.

"I-it is?" Peri stumbled. She was older than Lapis by a few years and hearing about Lapis' past Peri could tell she wasn't inexperienced like she was. At least with Amethyst she had been the younger one out of the two.

"Of course. We can take things as fast as you feel comfortable with." Peri was skeptical of the understanding. Amethyst had been the same way..at the beginning.

"Really?" Peri asked confirming she had heard correctly.

"Yes. Why are you so shocked by that?" Lapis felt like she might be digging up some of Peri's past.

"Nothing, it's just..others haven't been quiet as accepting of that fact they aren't gonna get _that_ right away." Peri cringed even though she hadn't even said sex. Just talking about it made her feel dirty.

"Oh Peri I would wait a lifetime for you if it meant you could be mine and I could be yours," Lapis said honestly. She didn't need the physical aspects of a relationship to feel loved. Sure it was fun but if Peri wasn't ready Lapis wasn't going to rush her.

"So Peri. Are you a virgin?" Lapis asked again. She knew the answer but she wanted Peri to trust her with it. To say it out loud, to confirm Lapis' growing suspicion. She didn't want Peri to hide the small fact and feel ashamed about it.

Peri took a moment to soak in the silence before she cut into it again. Lapis waited patiently for Peri to answer, she could feel her take a few deep breaths as she mustered up the courage to speak that one word, "Yes." Peri tightened her grip on Lapis not wanting her to be able to move enough to look up at her, even though it was pitch black in the room Peri still felt self conscious about her answer. Lapis however made no attempt to shift her position.

"You know that's okay, right?" Lapis asked knowing by how the blond had been acting she had different feelings about it.

"Yeah I guess." Peri met her halfway. Ever since she knew what sex was it had caused her an anxiety she couldn't explain. With the confidence Lapis expelled she would just never understand.

"No. No guessing. It _is_ okay." Lapis wasn't going to give up that easily.

"It's okay." The two small words stuck in Peri's throat a little but she got them out. With Lapis Peri truly felt like she was ready to try something new, but it would have to wait for another night. These two were worn out from the previous days events.

Before drifting off to sleep Lapis had one more question, "Peri do you work tomorrow?" The words brought Peri back to the world in which her eyes had been shut off from.

"No. Why?" Peri asked trying not to fall asleep before the conversation was over.

"I was just thinking if you were off we could move boxes another day. I have somewhere I would like to take you tomorrow." Lapis said but then shut her mouth, she wanted it to be a surprise.

"Oh yeah? Where?" Peri could feel Lapis' breathing get deeper, "Lapis?" There was no answer, just a quiet snore as the girl on top of her dosed off for the night. Peri was not far behind her as she shut her eyes and said a quiet goodnight.

* * *

Peri had been in and out of awareness all night long not used to her bed occupying more then just herself. At some point the two shifted and Peri ended up being the one cuddled up to Lapis with one arm resting gently over her stomach.

It was slow going as the two began waking up but the couple did manage to rise before noon.

Lapis was the first to begin opening her eyes back up to the room, now full of light that was flooding in from the windows and through the thin curtains. She looked to Peri who was cuddled up to her. It brought a grin to Lapis' face to see her in such a peaceful state of sleep. It took Lapis a moment to notice but when she did it only made her smile widen, Peri wasn't wearing her glasses.

Lapis had grown so accustomed to seeing the women with the large frames on her face that when they were gone she looked like an entirely different person. She still looked just as sweet though, and delicate, and cute..very cute. Peri's arm twitched slightly, she was starting to wake up.

"Morning my beauty." Lapis said as she saw Peri attempt to open her eyes.

"M-morning." Peri said with a yawn thick in her voice. She tilted her head up enough so her lips could meet with the skin on Lapis' cheek.

The two laid in bed for a little bit but Lapis was eager to get up. She wanted to go spend the perfect day together with her finally now official girlfriend.

After about twenty minutes of snuggles and playful kisses Lapis excused herself to go to the bathroom. She took her pants that were on the floor with her to put back on.

While Lapis was gone Peri found her glasses that she had thankfully remember to place on her nightstand before dozing off and returned them to her face. She made her way out into her living room and into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

By the time that Lapis was finished in the bathroom and she found Peri the coffee was done. One mug held black coffee the other was sweetened with sugar and cream.

"Here you are my sweets." Peri handed Lapis the sweetened cup of coffee to which she received a quick peck on the cheek for.

The two sipped on their hot drinks over a bit of chit chat. When Lapis finished her large mug of sweet caffeine she knew she would have to go back to her apartment to get ready for the day properly. She would really like a shower and a change of clothing above all else.

"Peri, I'm gonna go get a box of essentials from my apartment then we can go out." Lapis stated even though the thought of going back to her apartment didn't really thrill her.

"I can come with you if you want." Peri said knowing if she was in Lapis' position she wouldn't want to go back _there_ alone.

"No that's okay. I think this is something I have to face on my own. Anyway you can stay here and get ready." Lapis threw her a wink as she got up to put her mug in the sink.

"What is it exsactly that I'm getting ready for?" Peri questioned since she did not receive an answer that night.

Lapis chuckled, she was humored that it was bothering Peri that she didn't know. "My dear, that is for me to know and you to find out." Lapis gave her a full kiss on the mouth before she had to leave. Lapis didn't want to go but she knew it would make the day better for herself if she did.

"I'll try to be fast like a bunny." Lapis promised as she made sure she had her key and exited Peri's apartment.

"You better," Peri said to the empty apartment already feeling lonely. She went back to the kitchen and poured the remaining amount of coffee she had into the sink. She just realized her headache from her terrible first night drinking was gone completely. "Never again," Peri said even though she felt like she wouldn't be able to stick to the two words.

Peri migrated back to her bedroom to begin the process of getting ready. She did all the basics, plus a shower, and spent extra time picking out what to wear. She decided to wear something she wouldn't be seen in at work.

She picked out a pair of actual jeans opposed to her usual slacks and an old sweatshirt that she adored but barely wore. Mission accomplished, she felt quiet comfortable in the clothing.

When she was all done and ready Lapis still wasn't back so Peri went to where her phone was still plugged in setting on her nightstand and took it from it's charger. She sat down on the edge of her bed to see what she had missed out on in the world of technology.

Peri looked to her notifications, 'One new voicemail.' It took Peri a moment to remember when she had missed the call. Peri was going to listen to the voicemail but as soon as she unlocked her phone a knock was heard at her door.

Lapis was back, she would just listen to her voicemail when they got back. She didn't want to be fiddling with her phone while she was out with Lapis, where ever they were going. Peri went to open the door letting herself out rather then Lapis in, to go out and do who knows what. Peri had taken the box from Lapis' arms that she had retrieved from her apartment and placed it safely inside the door before locking up. Lapis seemed excited about her idea of where to go and Peri was ready to see what it had been.

* * *

 **A/N:** A side note I must add that is not related to this story: The emotion in Pearl's song from yesterday's episode 'Mr. Greg' has had me lost for words. It was so beautiful and you could just hear her pain laced into each word. I've been all emotional from it that I felt like I needed to say something. Anyway, back to the story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! :)


	17. Chapter 17

"Fish? Stew? Pizza? All in one? That sounds terrible." Peri crinkled her nose the moment the couple walked in the door and she was hit by the mix of smells. Peri felt like she couldn't take a deep breath with all the different odors mixing into one, it was a pungence her nose found quiet unpleasant.

"That's what I said! But Steven claims it to be the best so I thought it would be fun to come try it together." Lapis had to admit she wasn't to thrilled about name of the diner either, or the aroma seeping from the kitchen. It was a small diner only having four tables, two of which were full. It wasn't that terrible if people were here, right?

Lapis saw the nauseated look on Peri's face and her spirits dropped, she thought it would be fun to go try out a diner neither of them had been to before. Maybe this was something she shouldn't have kept as a surprise and instead asked if Peri actually would want to go.

"We can leave and go somewhere else if you want. Anywhere is fine with me, the name of the diner just sounded..unique? It just had intrigued me." The eatery was only a few blocks away from the music shop that Steven's dad owned, Steven was constantly getting lunch there. Lapis had heard such good reviews from Steven that she didn't question the possibility it could be bad.

"No let's try it." Peri said. It did smell different then most diners did but she wasn't going to dis it in till she tried it, plus she knew Lapis was really excited about coming here.

"Really? Okay!" Lapis grabbed onto Peri's hand and lead her over to the large menu boards above the counter so they could start looking at their lunch options.

Peri was not used to the public display of affection, even if they were only holding hands. There were still a few people in the small diner and Peri was very aware of it.

"So why were you so excited about coming here? You've never been here before so it can't be that you have fond memories from here.." Peri trailed off deciding to not analyze anything and just let Lapis answer.

"No it just sounded fun to go somewhere new. I've only been in the city for a couple months and I've pretty much stuck to the music shop. Plus now that we are officially girlfriends I wanted to have an official date." Lapis blushed, when she expressed her feelings out loud they sounded so old school.

"Oh. Well I'm glad you brought me here." Peri said now nervous that Lapis had labeled their outing as a date. Peri couldn't remember the last time she was on a date, what if she ruined it?

The two looked at the menu boards for a long time. Everything _was_ combined and it looked gross, even in the pictures that were supposed to make the food look better.

"What do you suppose we order?" Peri questioned as she noted in her head to make sure and have water before they began eating.

"Hmm..Well since we came here to try new things I suggest we get the special. Pizza with mushrooms, onions, garlic, and anchovies." Peri tried not to make a face. Every ingredient Lapis had listed off appealed to her in no way.

"Can we get half of that just cheese?" Peri asked softly, afraid of getting yelled at.

"Yeah that's a good idea." Lapis said her stomach not to happy with the idea of the other pizza she had described either. "But we both have to at least take one bite of the other."

"O-okay. Yeah." Peri smiled, she was actually beginning to have fun on what was their first real date. Lapis had agreed with her, she had cared about her input. Amethyst would have yelled. Whenever they disagreed on something, even something as simple as food she would get worked up that they weren't on the same page. _Her_ page to be exact.

No! Peri stopped herself. She wasn't going to let the bad memories from her past relationship with Amethyst spoil her day with Lapis. Not another thought about her.

"Hello, are you ready to order?" A girl walked out from the kitchen and over to a resister Peri and Lapis were standing behind.

"Um yes hello we would like a large pizza. Half of it your special fish stew pizza and the other half just cheese." Lapis smiled at the girl as she ordered.

"Do you want anything to drink?" The girl behind the counter asked. Lapis looked over to Peri who's face was slowly turning a dark shade of red. "Do you want anything to drink dear?" Lapis asked Peri, audible to the girl taking their order. Lapis knew it was gonna make Peri's cheeks get darker but she enjoyed the elegant shade on her face. It only intensified her cute shy personality.

"J-just water for me, umm..a large please." Peri said trying not to make eye contact with the girl over the counter who was watching them.

"Two large waters please." Lapis said to the girl.

"For here or to go?" The girl asked.

"Here." Lapis answered.

"Okay you can take a seat, it will be right out." Said the girl when she was done writing down the order.

"Thank you." Lapis said as she searched for a name tag. "Kiki."

"You're welcome." Kiki said, she then took the sheet of paper back into the kitchen where their food would be made.

"After you madam," Lapis held out her arm motioning to the tables that were settled inside the diner.

Peri looked to the available options. There were only a few tables inside to begin with and out of them only two were available, one in the corner and the other positioned up against a large window. Peri took the opening Lapis had given her and lead her back to the corner. She felt more secure their, like not as many eyes were on her.

"What a fine choice." Lapis said having a great time as she pulled out a chair for Peri to sit in.

"Thank you." Peri said awkwardly, it was such a small gesture but it made her feel good.

It didn't take long for their food to be prepared. Once it was done Kiki delivered it to their table. She brought the pizza, both waters, plates, and the bill all talently balanced in her arms.

Both women were hesitant as they picked up a slice of pizza with such unpopular toppings. Lapis was the first to take a bite not trying to avoid the toppings but embrace them. Peri watched closely before she made any move to try her own slice.

"Hmm. It's not bad actually. Try it." Lapis said not touching her water glass, she instead took another bite of her pizza. Peri was cautious as she eyed her slice trying to find a section where the toppings were sparse to take a bite from.

Peri chewed slowly but picked up the pace once the food touched her taste buds. How did Lapis think this was good?! Peri dropped her slice onto her plate and downed half of her water in only a few gulps.

"Wow Peri slow down." Lapis was a little tickled by the woman's reaction to the pizza. It's true it was different from the taste she was used to when eating pizza but she didn't think it was bad.

Peri set down her now empty glass of water, she was glad for thinking of getting a large cup, and wiped her mouth.

"Holy crap!" Peri took a napkin and wiped at her tongue trying to free her mouth of the flavor that had attacked her.

"Haha you should see your face right now." Lapis was finding Peri's reaction to the pizza quiet amusing. She could see her face turn a shade of red darker then it already had been.

"Oh yeah well you..you." Peri couldn't think of a clever comeback.

"Peri calm down I'm just having fun, you don't have to get offensive." Lapis was going to have to be a bit more gentle with her for awhile.

"Oh yeah...Hey can I have a sip of your water?" Peri didn't want to go get hers refilled. Lapis might not realize it because she had been her boss but she was actually _very_ socially anxious.

"Sure." Lapis slid her water over to Peri not needing it. She was actually enjoying the pizza. Peri may have said sip but she drank over half of Lapis' water.

Peri picked up a slice of the cheese and started eating along with Lapis who was almost done with her slice.

"You're gonna have to do some serious mouthwash or something before you can kiss me again," Peri told her. The thought of having the taste of that pizza in her mouth again made her gag.

"Oh really?" Lapis liked how since the night's conversation Peri seemed more comfortable. Lapis saw her in a whole new light then she ever had before. Here's this person who she once feared greatly and was extremely intimidated by but all along deep down she was really sensitive and delicate.

"Yeah really." Peri said trying not to laugh realizing how humorous the situation was becoming. She was actually having a good time despite the terrible fish stew pizza special she had tried.

The chit chat that remained at their table was playful lasting the entire duration of the meal. Lapis ate two slices of the new but delectable to her pizza while Peri stuck with just one slice of cheese, her stomach slightly unsettled.

Lapis went to retrieve something from her purse that she had hung on her chair. Once Peri saw what she was doing she tried to reject it.

"No Lapis why don't you let me pay." Peri didn't want her to pay, she just got fired.

"Nonsense this is my treat. You're letting me stay with you that is pay enough plus a lot extra." Lapis was grateful for her offer to let her live with her, she wasn't also going to make her pay for lunch. She wanted to feel like she could do something, even if it was as small as paying for a pizza.

"Can I at least pay for half." Peri looked high trying to see the amount on the receipt.

"No." Lapis said as she discreetly counted out the money even adding in a tip for the young girl who had taken their order. She held the money in her hand in till Kiki came back to accept the payment not letting Peri know how much it was. Lapis actually thought it was a fair price considering the city they were in.

"Can we get the rest to go?" Lapis asked knowing she would be met with an approving answer.

"Of course, I'll bring a box out for you two." This was a nice diner, they would have to come here again.

"Well I have to say this was a pretty good find." Lapis stated feeling the date had gone rather well, at least so far.

"Yeah it was." Peri had to admit. Other than that terrible first bite filled with fish, it was pretty good.

Kiki came back and boxed up the rest of their food for them and wished them a nice evening as she returned to her place behind the counter waiting for the next customers to come in so she could take their order.

* * *

The two remained at the diner for a good while after they had finished eating to discuss various things. They talked about Jasper and what it would be like when Peri returned to work. They talked about when they would move all of Lapis' things and plan a specific route that would be the easiest. Lapis talked a little bit about her music career and how she had always dreamt of being a singer/songwriter when she was little.

The two made plans to visit the music shop next but before they left Peri requested she have a visit to the lady's room. Saying she had drank a lot of water would have been an understatement. Lapis remained at their table while Peri went to the restroom. She wasn't alone for long though.

"Lapis!" A young voice greeted her ears before her eyes.

"Oh hi Steven." Lapis looked up just before Steven reached her table in the far back of the diner. He was accompanied by Pearl who was only a few paces behind him.

"Hello again Pearl." Lapis greeted the tall women.

"Hello Lapis. I feel like I see you a lot considering we live in such a large city." She looked to the large pizza box and the two empty glasses. "Ah are you out on a date or with a friend?" Pearl asked making conversation.

"Out on a date." Lapis replied refusing to keep her relationship hidden, Pearl would see Peri when she returned to the table. She might act surprised, she might be offended, she also might not care, any way Lapis would not hide.

"Lapis! Lapis! Guess what happened!" Steven was jumping up and down in place full of excitement.

"I don't know. What?" Lapis answered amused by the child. However Pearl interrupted him "Now Steven we don't ne-"

"My Aunty Pearl got engaged!" Steven screamed loud enough to turn a few heads in the small diner.

"Steven! I was just going to say not everybody needs to know!" Pearl slapped her hand to her face. What ever was she going to do with this child.

"Awe. Congratulations." Lapis said. She didn't know Pearl was even seeing anyone, she didn't really know Pearl though. They had only had a few encounters.

Lapis looked to see a purple stone set in a silver ring resting on Pearl's finger. "Who is the lucky duck?" Lapis asked admiring the ring from where she sat, it was a very pretty stone.

"J-just someone. You wouldn't know them!" Pearl was rubbing her arm, she seemed a little off. Steven was there though to but in, "It's my other Aunt! She should be here soon."

"Steven shushh! I mean- lets stop bothering Lapis and go order." Pearl had a dark blush on her face as she starting pushing Steven over to the counter.

That's why she had been acting off, she was embarrassed. She didn't know Lapis enough to know she didn't need to hide anything from her.

"Oh boy I hope that the kitchen is nothing like that bathroom. I would advise if you need to go you do so at the music shop." Peri had to breath through her mouth the entire time inside the facility. It was long overdo for a cleaning.

"Well when you serve spicy stuff like this what do you expect?" It was hard for Lapis not to crack up half way through her sentence but she made it and laughed real hard when she was finished. If she hadn't been sitting down she might have collapsed on the floor.

Peri thought it was funny too but it was watching how much it tickled Lapis was what made her laugh just as hard.

It was the bell chime of another customer entering the eatery that snapped the two out of their laughing fit. Peri looked up, wiping some water from her eyes that had shown up while laughing so hard she could barely breath, to see a familiar figure.

"Amethyst?"

* * *

As it wasn't abnormal for Peri to see Amethyst sense she got a coffee on a regular basis it was abnormal for her to run into Amethyst outside of the coffee shop she worked in.

"Oh yo it's P-dot." Amethyst was a bit surprised too. Remembering back to the time they were dating the only places Peri ever was at were her apartment or work, she never really went out and did anything.

Amethyst walked over to where Peri was standing, she noticed she was with the girl who she had ordered coffee with. Maybe they _were_ dating. She had a suspicion by the way Peri had acted that night but hadn't thought of it much after the two had left.

"What's going on over here?" Amethyst asked then averted her attention over to the counter, "Pearl come over here." All Lapis could notice was the horrified look on Pearl's face. She had wanted to avoid Lapis but now she was being waved over.

Steven remained at the counter to place the order while Pearl sheepishly walked over to join them.

"Pearl this is my old _friend_ from high school. What are you doing out and about?" Pearl looked to the short women, she looked a little familiar. Where did she know her from?

"You know just out..on a date." Peri said not wanting to hide her girlfriend. Peri stepped aside allowing Lapis to get up and stand by her. Pearl's face lit up when she saw who Peri meant when she said date. There was nothing she needed to hide. She let her arms down that had been crossed over her chest.

"So you two are dating! I was right!" Amethyst was a little loud but no one seemed to be paying any attention to the four.

"Y-yeah. Well we weren't actually dating then." Peri said trying to let Amethyst see she wasn't exsactly right.

"But that was like only a few days ago." Amethyst stated.

"Yeah we are somewhat new.." Lapis was trying not to laugh. She just stood there watching the two converse. You could tell by the way they spoke they had dated in the past but neither her or Pearl interjected. Lapis was rather enjoying how frazzled the short blond looked.

"Oh well that's cool." Amethyst said not sure what else she could say. Lapis' eyes were wandering while they talked and it eventually landed on Amethyst's hand. She also had a ring on but the stone that was set in it didn't look the same as Pearl's. It was round and white, Lapis looked a little harder...it was a _Pearl_. 'Awe how sweet,' She thought.

Lapis had remained silent but decided to but in when the conversation began to die, "So when's the big day?" Lapis asked referring to their wedding day.

The two picked up on it and looked at each other unsure. "We haven't picked a date yet. We just got engaged yesterday actually." It shouldn't have surprised Lapis, she had just seen Pearl yesterday and she didn't have a ring of course it had happened recently.

"Congratulations. I hope you two are very happy." Lapis said but quickly ended the conversation, "We would love to stay and chat all day but we must be going. There are a lot more things we have planned for the day."

"Yeah of course, don't let us keep you." Pearl spoke up actually not wanting them to leave. They seemed like the perfect couple to chat with.

"I'm sure I'll see you guys again soon. Goodbye for now." Lapis waved goodbye with one hand and took Peri's hand in the other. Both of Peri's hands were occupied, one with Lapis' hand and the other with the pizza box, so she couldn't wave goodbye like Lapis was. Peri felt weird. Amethyst, getting married? It didn't sound like the Amethyst she had known before.

"That was your ex right." Lapis asked once they were a safe distance away from the diner. With the evidence she had at the coffee shop and that encounter she was sure there had been something between the two.

"Umm yeah.." Peri said, she hoped Lapis wasn't going to act weird now because of it.

"Were you guys really close? That was kinda a strained encounter." Lapis noted wanting to know a little bit more about Peri's past.

"Yeah we were..best friends." Peri was trying not to cry at the memory. "Everything went to hell when we started dating though. We just weren't compatible." She said sadly, she wanted her friend back and she didn't want it to be awkward.

"I'm sorry Peri that sounds rough." Lapis said. She didn't really know what a break up felt like, at least not a real one. Lapis had dated plenty but her relationships had never lasted long so they were never really painful for her. She generally only dated to cover up the pain of her past. With Peri though it felt different, it felt real.

"It was. But I was over her long ago." Peri lied, it took her years to get over Amethyst. It was true that she was over her now but it had taken a while for her to get to that place.

"Why don't I take your mind off of it?" Lapis asked.

"Oh yeah? What do you have in mind?" Peri questioned hoping it wasn't anything sexual. That would be way too soon for her.

"I'm going to play you one of my sets." Lapis said confidently. No matter how many copies she had sold she was going to play Peri her music because it was something she found happiness and joy in and she wanted to share that with the one she loved most in the world.

* * *

 **A/N:** I don't have much to say in this author's note, just that I hope you're still enjoying the story. :) And that Summer of Steven is very much living up to what I had hoped for. :D


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Thank you all for the kind words you leave in your reviews. I can't believe I have over fifty followers on this story! Thank you all so much and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

When Lapis and Peri reached the music shop and discovered it was locked up Lapis was a little taken aback. It took her a moment to remember Greg was on tour meaning the shop would be closed down until he returned.

As much as the music shop Greg owned can support him financially it doesn't rake in enough income for him to hire employees. He has a few unpaid interns from time to time but at the moment he didn't.

Lapis wasn't going to back out of playing her music to Peri which a small part of her wanted to afraid to see the response she would get. The couple did a detour to Lapis' apartment where her guitar was, she decided to play her song for Peri in the apartment. It may be the afternoon but considering they were in the middle of winter the air was nippy so they couldn't be outside, well they could but it wouldn't be very comfortable.

"Okay just sit down here and make yourself at home." Lapis sat Peri down on her couch and rushed to her bedroom where her guitar sat untouched in the corner for so long. When she had gotten to the city her music kinda got pushed aside. She hadn't wrote a new song sense getting her first album produced.

Her aunt had made it plenty clear that if she failed on her own she would give her no second chances. She had given Lapis enough money to get to Chicago and pay for her first few months rent before she started receiving her own paychecks. She was also the one who had a connection in the business world, her aunt was the reason she even got the internship at Diamonds Incorporated. Lapis didn't want to let her down so her music along with her _real_ dreams in life had been cast aside. It was too late to not let her aunt down now, she had failed miserably.

Lapis didn't realize how much she missed making music, even just picking up her guitar made the corners of her mouth turn up forming a small smile. She didn't need to grab any sheet music, she had rehearsed all her songs so many times while writing them that the chords were practically burnt into her brain.

Lapis had been gone longer then Peri had anticipated and she began to get a little jittery. While Peri was excited to hear Lapis play one of her songs sense she had talked to passionately about her music during lunch she was also scared. Peri feared that it might not be good..she felt bad the moment the thought entered her brain.

Peri felt bad for a number of reasons. First and foremost that she was expecting the worst out of Lapis while she shouldn't be. Peri decided that it was just from Lapis being perfect, in Peri's eyes, in other aspects of her life how could she be good at this too? No one is perfect at everything. Peri hated to admit it but if it _was_ bad how was she going to be able to lie and tell Lapis that it was amazing? Peri was a terrible liar and she was well aware of that fact.

Lapis returned to the living area and grabbed a bar stool from under the counter of the bar to sit on while she played. She didn't have room for a table in her small apartment so her kitchen was designed to have a bar as the designated place to eat. Despite having it Lapis still generally ate her meals on the couch where it was much more comfy and she could watch T.V at the same time.

Lapis got her guitar positioned on her lap and tuned the chords real quick before she began the song she had planned long ago to play for her. Once she was ready though her hands got sweaty.

"Close your eyes." Lapis said hoping Peri would just do so and not question her.

"Why?" There goes not being questioned.

"Just because. Then you can get lost in the music." Lapis said thinking the stupid excuse up on the spot.

"I'd rather watch you play...Instruments have always fascinated me." That's right Lapis remembered. Peri had gotten all weird in the music shop the first time she had taken her. She had felt up a flute.

"Umm..." Lapis stalled she didn't want to be watched while she played. She was getting stage fright and she was only playing for one person. Maybe she would never get far in her music career after all. She blamed her mother for that.

"What is it?" Peri asked when Lapis made no move to start strumming on her guitar.

"I'm just a little...I'm having some stage fright." Lapis said, the only other people she had played in front of was Greg, that was only because he was helping her record her album, and..her mother. Her mother bashed on her voice and the songs she wrote. Lapis was never good enough for her...

"Just pretend I'm not here." Peri understood now why Lapis hadn't gone on tour with Greg. Lapis had brought up at lunch that he offered to take her. When Peri had asked why she declined she said that it was because she was, at the time, still employed at Diamonds Incorporated. It had made sense and was a valid reason but if Peri had been Lapis she would have found a way to be on that tour.

Lapis looked over to see Peri had shut her eyes. "Okay," Lapis had begun strumming but stopped, "This is one of the first songs I wrote so don't rat on me if it's bad." Lapis quickly resumed strumming so Peri could not reply to Lapis in any way.

When Lapis finally began singing while playing the chords she had memorized so well Peri's eyes inevitably shot open. The sound was indescribable. Saying it was beautiful would be an understatement by a long shot, Peri felt like she was getting a private concert from a professional that would cost thousands of dollars.

Lapis made it through the entire song without noticing Peri's eyes on her. When she did finish and saw the expression on Peri's face and nerves she had revisited her, they had left her during the song. "What did you think?" Lapis sheepishly asked.

* * *

How was Peri going to be able to tell her this and have Lapis believe her. Peri wasn't good with expressing how she felt but this, this was easy, "It was incredible!"

"Awe you're just saying that." Lapis was flattered by Peri's words, it wasn't _that_ good.

"No I'm not, it really was incredible. It was more then incredible. Lapis your voice is beautiful, it literally took my breath away." Peri didn't feel like she was exaggerating anything.

"Everyone can sing." Lapis didn't think her voice was bad but she didn't think it was all that good either.

"True but not everyone sounds good. Do you want to hear me sing? I can assure you will change your mind about your own voice after you hear the massacre that is mine." Her anxiety left her when she was around Lapis she felt like she could do anything in her presence, like she could be herself. Peri cleared her throat ready to belt out a tune that would no doubt be out of key when she got interrupted.

A gentle knock came to Lapis' door. The two stopped their little bickering they had been in as Lapis stood up to answer it.

"Oh hello Sapphire." Lapis answered as she opened up the door revealing her neighbor.

"Hey hun, I was just coming by to see how you were doing when I heard a song begin. Were you just singing?" Sapphire asked her. The song she had heard was beautiful, she didn't know Lapis was into music. Sapphire had never heard any sort of melody from her apartment before.

"Oh umm yeah that was me," Lapis cursed slightly under her breath. The walls in this building were not built very thick, sound traveled through them with ease. She had gotten so caught up in the lyrics of her song that Lapis couldn't remember how loud she had been singing.

"I didn't know you could sing! That was a lovely song, did you write it?" Sapphire tried to remain composed but she was surprised. Generally in the line of work Lapis was in one wouldn't expect her to be musical. She worked a mind-numbingly boring job, she wouldn't have expected her to be the creative type.

"Yeah." Lapis said knowing Peri would speak up if she tried to lie about it. Lapis felt very on the spot, she was very insecure about her music and wanted the conversation about it to be over.

"Oh I didn't realize you had company." Lapis looked back to see Peri had gotten up from her place on the couch and looked as though she was headed for the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks when Sapphire had acknowledged her and walked over to stand beside Lapis.

Sapphire smiled stupidly. This was the girl Lapis liked, if she was in her apartment maybe everything worked it's way out like she had suggested it would if Lapis truly liked her.

"Hello, I'm Peri. I don't believe we've met." Peri tried her best to talk smoothly, she was terrible at social interactions. Especially with people she didn't know.

"Oh I've met you but I don't think you remember meeting me." Sapphire said trying to suppress a giggle.

"Excuse me?" Peri was slightly unnerved by the woman's response.

"You were drunk as I'll get out when you came staggering over to my apartment. It was a rather humorous encounter." Sapphire stated looking at the two, she couldn't rip her gaze away from them they were just too adorable.

"Oh umm..sorry about that." Peri said looking to the ground with a deep blush. She felt awful that she did that and even more awful that she didn't remember it at all. She really was becoming her parents.

"It's fine don't worry about it. I will say it's nice to see you now all sobered up. Lapis has told me many things about you, it was hard to picture it all when the only memory I had of you was a drunk one." Sapphire stated seeing her now in the way Lapis had described her.

Peri gave Lapis a look but still managed to smile at Sapphire.

"Well I'll leave you cutie pies alone. I'm gonna go start dinner." Sapphire said when there was a long stretch of silence. Lapis took a peak at her phone it was already going on five o'clock. How had the time passed so quickly? She knew she had gotten up late but still.

"Okay, I'll see you later Sapphire." Lapis said even though they probably wouldn't see each other for a long while. Lapis was hoping to be completely moved out in only a few days. Most of her stuff was already packed up and the furniture here wasn't her's, it had just been there when she moved in.

Lapis shut the door to see the same look on Peri's face she had only given her moment ago. "What?" Lapis asked her.

"How much does she know?" Peri said frantically now giving Lapis an anxious look.

"Oh like pretty much everything." Lapis said now remembering Peri wasn't used to people knowing her preference. Since Lapis moved to the city she had been trying really hard to not let who she liked effect her. It helped a lot when her closest neighbors came by to welcome her to the building. She knew right away she wasn't going to have to hide like she did while living with her aunt.

"Lapis!" Peri yelled.

"I know I know I'm sorry. But when everything started happening between us I needed someone to talk to." Lapis said now feeling slightly bad for revealing some of Peri's personal life to another. It hadn't been that much but she had said enough to feel a little guilty.

"Yeah I know what you mean. It's okay, I wish I had had someone to talk to too." Peri said no longer feeling mad at Lapis, she understood. She had so desperately wanted someone to talk to about Lapis when everything had first started to happen. She didn't have anyone though, she had worked through it on her own.

"Oh Peri." Lapis walked over and wrapped her in a big bear hug. Lapis didn't know much about Peri's past. It sounded like other than Amethyst she didn't have any other friends growing up. What about her family? Where were they?

"I'm okay. I've got you to talk to now." Peri said trying to dry the few tears that fell down her face so Lapis wouldn't see she was crying.

Lapis repositioned herself slightly so she was able to plant a kiss upon Peri's cheek. She then moved her lips closer to Peri's ear so she could hear her whispered words. "Now and always," Lapis promised. "Now and always.."

* * *

The couple ended up using the rest of the evening moving boxes after all. It took three trips of them both transporting boxes, and one final one where only Lapis went to retrieve the last few of her things, to complete her move.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Peri asked more then happy to tag along even if Lapis didn't need her to carry anything.

"Yes I'm sure, I'll only be a second." Lapis kissed her on the cheek before leaving the apartment. Second? More like twenty minutes Peri thought. She knew Lapis would be fine but she hated the idea of her having to be alone in her apartment. Lapis had to feel paranoid walking back in by herself.

Peri decided while Lapis was gone to clear some shelves in the bathroom and kitchen and find places for the rest of her belongings. She wanted her to feel at home.

Peri was fairly efficient in her organizing and finished before Lapis had returned. What was she to do now? Peri decided to just relax for a moment and sat down on her couch. She pulled out her phone deciding to dink around on the interwebs until Lapis was back.

She looked at her phone screen,'One new voicemail' oh yeah Peri remembered. She had a voice mail that she had never checked. Peri clicked on it and held the phone up to her ear. What she heard was very distorted and when she finally did make out a word her unoccupied hand quickly flew up to her face and covered her mouth. Was this what she thought it was?

"I'm back." Lapis sung as she opened the door making Peri jump. It was not only the fact that she had forgotten to lock the door, something Peri always remembered to do, but that she felt like she had been caught listening to something she shouldn't be.

"What?" Lapis asked not sure what to make of Peri's behavior.

"N-nothing." Peri lied, she didn't know how to tell Lapis about what she had just heard. "Umm here listen to this." Peri decided to just let Lapis listen to it herself instead of trying to explain it. Peri replayed the message and gave her phone to Lapis.

"What am I listening to?" Lapis asked not sure what was happening.

"Just listen...I think my boss..accidentally called me." Peri's face was beat red as she waited for Lapis to realize what was on the recording.

Peri was close enough to Lapis that she could faintly hear the voicemail playing, they were getting close to the part when it was apparent what was happening. "Oh Jasper." Lapis looked to Peri with wide eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was the same voice that had been very firm towards Lapis the day she was fired. It was Yellow Diamond.

"Are they? Is that? Are they having-" The recording ended leaving the two in disbelief. Was the very person who had acted homophobic towards them in her own relationship with no one other then Yellow Diamond herself. Jasper's boss!

"Yes." Peri said, "I believe so." Peri may not be that experienced in that part of a relationship but she was well enough educated on the matter to know exsactly what was taking place in her voicemail.

"Holy crap." Were the only words Lapis could find to say.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter took longer then my past couple months updates. I've been spending a lot of my free time watching the Olympics. Anyway enough about me, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Lapis couldn't rip her eyes from the phone that was still in her hands, "Holy crap." She said again not knowing what else to say about what she had just heard. It was more like there were too many things to say. They were all running through her head so fast she wasn't sure what to say _first_.

"What do I do?" Peri asked pleadingly. In all her days she would have never imagined she would end up in a situation quite like this.

"Well for starters don't delete that voicemail. It's our only piece of evidence that the two are doing anything. Without it we have no case." Lapis said jumping ahead of herself. She wanted to do something about this, she wasn't going to hold anything back.

"Case?" Peri asked confused.

"Well yeah. Don't you want to turn Jasper in after the way she treated us, and for the way Yellow Diamond treats you. I was only in the office for a moment with her and I could tell everyone was deathly afraid of her..everyone but Jasper." When Lapis said that it all made sense in her head. Jasper was probably her spy reporting everything for Yellow Diamond and she payed Jasper kindly for her work. How long had this been going on?

"Sorta.." Peri admitted, she knew she shouldn't fight hate with hate but she so desperately wanted to get back at Jasper. She was ultimately the reason Lapis got fired and she had made Peri feel even more insecure about who she was. "But I don't know how I would do that." Peri said. It's not like she could just go head to head with Yellow Diamond, she would lose.

"We take her to court." Lapis was so enraged with the hypocrisy of Jasper, and Yellow Diamond for that matter, that she was talking rashly. She wanted to get back at them so bad.

Yellow Diamond owned a multitude of company's and was no doubt filthy stinking rich. Even if Peri could afford a lawyer and took it to court she would never be able to stand up against what Yellow Diamond would be able to bring to the table.

"Dating your coworkers is against the Diamond's Incorporated policy," Peri said considering Lapis' words for a moment, even if they did seem a bit crazy. "That's why I was so frightened when she showed up to the office that day. I think she did know something was between us and just made up what Jasper had reported to get you fired without any sort of fight. You had only been there a few days how would she have known if you weren't making a difference in the office or not!" The more Peri spoke the more enraged she felt towards Yellow Diamonds actions, she absolutely hated her!

She always had but she had taken the job regardless. She had to get a place of her own as soon as she could and be able to support herself so she wouldn't have to move back in with her sister, that's the only reason she had held on so long. It wasn't too bad Yellow Diamond rarely checked in on the office she worked in. She loved her job just not her employer. It did make her want to get back and do something about the voicemail but she didn't want to lose her job either.

"W-what. She said that?" Lapis shouldn't have felt hurt, the women was an absolute menace but the words still stung her slightly. They reminded her of when she was little and the hurtful words she constantly received from her mother. The ones that had always made her feel useless.

"Oh Lapis..I'm sorry..I shouldn't be bringing all this back up. I just got a little carried away.." Peri had calmed down from her anger high. Why did she have to remind Lapis of Yellow Diamonds hurtful words? After all it was Lapis getting fired that brought them to being roommates, if anything they should be thanking Jasper. They wouldn't be where they were in their relationship if it wasn't for her.

"No no I'm fine." Lapis said getting over what Yellow Diamond had said. She would not let the women affect her feelings. "We should start searching through the company's policy book to see if we can find any more rules they may have violated. Then we shou-" Lapis' words were cut off when Peri closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together.

When the kiss ended Lapis looked to Peri in confusion. She wasn't complaining but why would she kiss her now? "No." Was all Peri said increasing Lapis' confusion.

"No..what?" Lapis asked feeling warmer now with her arms wrapped around Peri's back. She could stay like this forever.

"We're not going to go all crazy obsessive over this voicemail. I still have one day off before I go back to the office and I want to spend it with you doing...other things. We can address this when I go back to work." Peri said boldly as she took control of the situation. She wanted to spend the remainder of the day, and the next, with Lapis not worrying about anything. She knew just the thing to take their minds off of it, was she ready for it though?

Peri took her phone from Lapis' hand and tucked it away in her back pocket. She then proceeded in her action of pushing Lapis up against her front door, making sure their lips stayed in contact as she did so.

Lapis was surprised by Peri's actions but it quickly faded away and she melted into Peri touch. She wasn't going to pull away and question Peri, she was quite enjoying the intimacy her girlfriend had initiated.

Peri was getting lost in the moment, her nerves leaving her until Lapis began walking them backwards. They were about to pass the couch and enter the hallway when Peri broke their long strand of kisses.

"Sorry." Lapis said as she stopped walking. Even though Peri had initiated the moment she should have just let her control it and move with her pace. It was hard not to get carried away, she often forgot about Peri's lack of experience. It was hard for her to imagine it because she found Peri to be quite an attractive women.

"No no it's okay. I just needed to catch my breath." It was true that she needed some extra air but she stopped because she began to feel her nerves creep back up on her. She took a moment to compose herself before pushing her nerves away and Lapis down onto the couch.

"Wow!" Lapis said, a little louder than she had meant to, as she hit a couch cushion. She had not expected the move by Peri but she continued to do things that surprised her. Where had this sudden brush of confidence come from?

Peri gently laid Lapis back and positioned herself on top of her. Peri tried to kiss Lapis' neck but it felt slow and awkward, at least to her. Peri had never kissed someone anywhere besides the lips. Was she doing this right?

Lapis tried to stay still and relaxed while under Peri but a part of her felt..suffocated? Lapis thought that if anyone wasn't ready when a situation like this presented itself it would have been Peri; not herself.

While all Lapis wanted to do was dig her nails into Peri's back and move forward in their activity she didn't. All she could think of at the moment was that first night when she had been taken advantage of. When that mans hot breath flowed over her body. The nameless man who had started the whole charade of entering her room once done with her mother.

She didn't want this good memory she would make with Peri to be mixed with all her bad ones so she pushed up slightly breaking the contact Peri's lips had with her neck.

"Oh Lapis..I'm..I don't really..Was that bad?" Peri was a mess as she tried to form just one sentence that made sense. She wanted so bad to be good at this for Lapis. From the reaction she got Peri felt like she had messed up in someway.

"No it was great," Lapis reassured her. "I was just gonna ask if you wanted a drink?" Lapis wanted a second to step back and refocus her mind on Peri. Maybe a little bit of wine would help her to relax, and a little splash for Peri wouldn't hurt either. Her nerves were bouncing off every wall in the apartment.

"I don't have any alcohol in the apartment." Peri said quickly shooting the idea down. She didn't house that sort of liquid here.

"Don't worry I brought a few bottles from my place." Lapis had a few bottles on hand to treat herself to if she ever needed, or wanted, to have a relaxing night.

"Oh-umm-okay." Peri couldn't say no to her, it was her wine. It didn't bother her if Lapis had some but she didn't want any, how would she tell her without being rude? How would she ever be able to tell her why alcohol bothered her so much?

* * *

Peri had slid off of Lapis and watched as she entered the kitchen where a box of her stuff lied. She rummaged through the boxes for a while before pulling out a bottle of wine and what Peri assumed was an instrument to pry the cork out of the bottle.

Lapis poured two glasses, that she had also plucked out of one of her boxes, and returned to Peri who hadn't moved from the couch. "Is it okay to drink it here?" Lapis asked.

"Yeah of course," Peri said not minding, she often ate on her couch. "Thank you." Peri said as she politely accepted the glass of wine from Lapis.

Peri watched as Lapis downed a few gulps of the red tinted liquid. Peri smelled the alcohol making her stomach slightly unsettled before placing the full glass on her coffee table. The scent brought back to many memories of her past life she decided a long time ago not to bother thinking about. The future was what mattered now, her future _with_ Lapis.

"What's wrong? Do you not like wine?" Lapis asked taking another sip from her glass.

"No, well I don't know. I've never had wine before. Just that awful beer I was drinking at the bar the night you found me. Other then that I haven't drank before." Peri swallowed down the bile that had begun creeping up her throat.

She had drank in such a large quantity that night, and it was only her first time drinking. Peri tried not to think about it, about how much she really was like her parents.

"Well why don't you try it, just a sip? You might like it, I can guarantee it's much better then beer." That was at least Lapis opinion. She much preferred the sharp taste of wine over the hard taste of beer.

Peri looked to Lapis and back to her own glass. "Okay," She said picking up the glass to bring it to her lips only to fake a taste. She set the glass back down without the deep red ever running down her throat.

"Well?" Lapis asked hoping she had liked it. She wanted her to drink if only half of it to calm her very apparent nerves.

"It was..good." Peri said going with a generic adjective. She couldn't describe the taste for Lapis because she hadn't actually taken a sip.

"That's..good." Lapis said eyeing Peri. If she did think it was good why did she set the glass back down out of a comfortable reach.

"What now?" Peri asked.

"Why don't we just talk?" Lapis suggested.

Peri watched as Lapis sipped her wine. How could someone manage to be so adorable no matter what they did. It made Peri's cheeks flush and her heart rate pick up. "We've been talking all day." Peri pointed out although she was not against talking. There was plenty of things to chat about.

"True but we've mostly been talking about me. I want to know more about you." Lapis said looking at Peri. She was so closed in. All day Lapis had tried to move the conversation to learn more about Peri's past but it always got turned back around to herself.

"Me? Like what? I'm really not that interesting of a person." Peri said being a bit harsh on herself.

"Oh pish posh to that. I think your the most interesting person I've ever met. You have so many qualities about yourself that round you into one hell of a person. You have so many different personalities. In one situation you're like this and in another you're like that. You're really quite mysterious actually." Lapis trailed off feeling like her words didn't quite make sense. Maybe she needed to slow down on the wine a bit.

Peri blushed in response not knowing how to respond to Lapis statement with words.

Lapis tried again to put her words into comprehensible sentences. "I feel like I know everything about you and then the next moment I feel like I know nothing at all." Lapis set her glass down and shifted a little closer to Peri.

"Well if you feel like you don't know me ask away." Peri opened up the door for the flood of questions that had been brewing up inside Lapis' brain all day.

"What made you interested in working in an office? I mean I only did it because of family reasons. What was your reason?" Lapis asked. Was it Peri's dream to work in an office or was it simply a job that paid the bills?

Peri fidgeted with her hands not quite sure how to answer. "I mean I like my job and I like the position I'm in. It's a good paying job and I get to do what I do best all day. I input numbers and organize everything. I kinda have an obsession with organizing." Peri made a gesture towards her flawlessly clean apartment to emphasize her point "It's the type of job I had put myself through college for so I'm happy with it."

"Then I'm happy too." Lapis said but then added in another question. "What were your dreams like when you were a child though?"

Peri flashed back to her childhood for a moment remembering the horrid images that filled her head, "To be living on my own." Peri answered not thinking Lapis was still talking about dream jobs.

"What?" Lapis was alarmed by Peri's answer.

"Huh?" Peri was suddenly very aware of the words she had spoke.

"I don't want to pry but if you don't mind me asking what was it like when you were growing up? Did you have a good childhood or.." Lapis was so focused on how terrible her life had been growing up she had never considered Peri's might have not been any better. She just seemed like such a stable person.

Peri watched Lapis as she set her empty wine glass aside. Lapis' eyes settled on her all ears to hear a story she seemed very interested in knowing.

"It wasn't the worst..." Peri said not really wanting to drop the bomb that was her childhood on Lapis. Not tonight at least, she had plenty of other things to be worried about. She didn't want Lapis to feel bad for her.

"Well what were your parents like?" Lapis asked trying to help Peri find a place to start.

It was the one topic she had so desperately not wanted to talk about but inevitably the conversation landed there anyway. Peri sighed. In the end there was no point in delaying this story, it would be said eventually. Lapis had shared her past demons with Peri, it was time for her to share some of her demons too.

"Oh them..they're..they're a _long_ story."


	20. Chapter 20

*Eighteen years ago*

The scene was a dark one, literally.

It was pitch black outside and only a few lights were scattered through the house. Young Peri had taken refuge behind the living room couch while her family was in a chaotic war around her. Peri tried to block it out as she covered her ears but the yelling was just too loud. This night was different from the ones she had experienced in the past, her parents had never gotten this violent with her before. This was the night that changed the path her life would take.

They had been gone all night. Peri had once again put herself to sleep without any comforting words from her parents, or dinner to sooth her stomach for the night. She was used to it now though and knew better then to complain.

Her sister, Malachite, was in the neighboring room doing who knows what. Peri was smarter then she seemed at such a young age and knew not to bother her.

She was a mean sister, in Peri's opinion, so she learned over the years it was better to not bother her on nights like these; when her parents were gone and all she wanted was a bed time story to lull her to sleep.

Peri didn't know what the other kids she went to school with parents were like, she wasn't friends with any of them so she never got to meet any other parents. If she did she would have discovered much earlier what a bad situation she was in.

Peri had just drifted off to sleep when a sound that shattered through her head awakened her. Startled Peri jumped out of bed to see what made the noise that awoke her. With her heart beating hard in her chest she, as quietly as she could, opened her door up just wide enough for her to peak her head out into the hallway.

The first thing she noticed was her sisters door was open, it was generally always closed, always shut off from Peri and the rest of the world. Then she heard her sisters voice boom from the living room, she was scolding someone. Peri edged farther into the hallway to get a better view.

When Peri saw who it was she bumped the palm of her hand against her forehead, duh it was her parents. She blamed being woken up in the middle of her sleep for her wonderment on who it had been. Sleepiness had cast a deep fog of confusion over her brain. Of course it was her parents, who else would it be this late in the night?

Peri should have known, this wasn't the first occurrence of her parents coming in so late. They were generally a bit more quiet about it though.

"Seriously mom! I can't believe you! You have work in the morning! You can't just go get hammered every single night!" Peri ducked down into the shadow of the hallway not wanting to be seen. Her sister was yelling at her mother who seemed disinterested in what she had to say.

Peri looked at the floor, there was glass surrounding her mothers feet and the stench of alcohol was strong. Peri pinched her nose when the stench reached her, she hated that smell. Only bad things had happened when that smell filled the small apartment.

"Oh relax. I'm perfectly fi-ne." Her mother let out a large burp in the middle of her sentence. Her mother lacked manners even when she was sober. Peri had learned what the two words meant, drunk and sober, and the actions that came with them much to young.

While other little girls were playing jump rope out on the sidewalks and showing off the latest stuffed animal or various toy they got, Peri was stuck in the small apartment. More often then not holding her mothers hair up while she was violently sick in the bathroom.

As much as her parents didn't do anything with her Peri was not allowed out. She was too young her parents harshly told her each time she asked to go play with the other kids that lived in their apartment building. Her parents were very paranoid people. They didn't want Peri running off and getting kidnapped or killed which Peri didn't understand. They didn't seem to care about her while she was alive, what difference would it make to them if she was dead?

A girl of Peri's age shouldn't have such thoughts fill her head but they so often did. Her parents didn't seem to care about her but they wouldn't allow her out in fear she would get hurt. It seemed so contradictory.

Peri snapped back to reality at the sound of her sisters voice, she had gotten lost on her own train of thought, "Ah you stink! How many drinks have you had!" Malachite was furious with how careless her alcoholic parents were. It appeared they had driven home in there drunken state.

"Don't talk to you your moth-mother like that." Her dad had finally pitched into the argument from his place in the kitchen. He was trying to find something to eat, his stomach was on fire. He had drank all night but the thought of eating something with it had slipped his mind.

Peri was fighting off tears as she watched her family yell at each other. She cried because she knew not all family's were like this, at least not the ones on T.V. She wanted a different family. One that wouldn't yell and would read her bed time stories every night. One that would shower her with love and not all this hate. What even was love? Peri saw it on T.V, the little she could sneak without her parents knowing. They didn't want her watching it but they could watch it all they wanted? Her parents were a real puzzle.

"You! What are you doing out of bed! Get back in there!" Peri screeched, she had been seen. Her father had begun taking large heavy steps towards her, a bottle of whiskey still in his hand. She panicked and wrestled her way in between the couch and the wall it rested against.

Only Peri would have been able to lodge herself between the couch and the wall, she had the smallest stature of the family.

"Get out from there!" Her father was further irritated by Peri's actions. The bottle that once rested in his hands was being flung at the wall that Peri was being crushed by. She had no idea how she had fit it such a tiny space, her adrenaline had just kicked into overdrive when she heard the tone in which her father had spoken.

She screamed out as she felt the glass shatter around her. She felt as it pierced her skin and the alcohol that was left in the bottle soak her clothing. She screeched out in pain as the alcohol penetrated the open wounds that scattered her fair skin. What was this nightmare?

There was tears streaming down her face as the pain started to take her vision away from her. All the screaming shifted it's way further and further into the background. She drifted off with a chorus of muted screaming around her and the faint sound of sirens.

She was only seven years old when she saw how painfully unfair life was.

* * *

This had been the turning point in her life. Peri wished she could say it was for the better. At the same time it wasn't necessarily worse.

She was taken away from her parents, but she didn't fight it, she was actually quite relieved. They had never loved her, never wanted her, she was glad to be free from their suffocating grasp.

The people however who got custody of her and her sister were strange. They weren't abusive or alcoholics and they always made sure there was plenty to eat but they seemed..disconnected? They didn't communicate often, it was like they were never fully present in the world.

It wasn't that much different from when she lived with her parents so it was easy to adjust to the new house. Malachite kept to herself much like her new parents, as she was told to address them as mother and father.

She was left alone to play by herself, no different then before. Peri did as she was told but it didn't earn her any sort of affection from the two. It was as if they didn't care.

Which Peri decided they didn't especially when she complained about the burning in her back. They never took two glances at her before telling her to go and play somewhere else. They were always to busy with something else, unable to listen to her words.

They didn't start listening until it was two late, the infection from her deep wounds had already spread.

She remembered the evening vividly. Peri had brought up her plate from dinner to put in the dishwasher when she felt lightheaded as if she were to lose her balance at any moment. Her ears began to ring as she tried her best to run for the bathroom but it was to late, she had already thrown up only a few steps outside the kitchen.

She was scolded harshly and told to clean up the mess she had made but instead of obeying she passed out. Peri was never sure if she passed out into her puke or beside it because the next time Peri came to it she was in a white sterile hospital room, alone.

It didn't take her long to panic as she heard the exponential rise of a heartbeat coming from the heartbeat monitor at her bedside, she soon realized it was hooked up to her.

The silence hurt worse then the cuts on her back, she had been abandoned. No one was in sight. She tried to stifle the tears that threatened to spill over onto her face but she failed.

After taking a look around the room her gaze settled on her hand...her hand full of needles! Peri quickly reacted to the metal buried under her skin and she started to rip them out. All the quiet humming from the machines in the room went ballistic with alarms.

People in happy colorful shirts rushed in and tried to calm her down but the sight of blood beading up into little droplets on her hand sent her into a frenzy of screeches and sobs. She screamed for help but it was to late, she once again felt reality slipping right out of her grasp. She once again left the noisy world behind for one of darkness and peace.

Peri later discovered, once the needles had been removed from her body, that she had been put on heavy doses of penicillin and her wounds had been stitched up. The cuts on her back had become severely infected, but yet still, she returned home with the people who had neglected them. It didn't seem right. Then again nothing seemed right in Peri's small world.

One thing after another continued to happen flipping her world in all different directions, it began to make her feel sick. The one thing Peri began hating more then alcohol was change.

When Malachite turned eighteen she left without as much as a goodbye and her so called parents did nothing to stop it. It felt as if they hadn't been given a choice to take them in. Like they really had been unwanted in this house.

To this day she didn't know what became of Malachite, where she was or what she was doing, if she was even still alive? Peri always told herself it was for the best, her sister hated her and the feeling was mutual.

Peri tried to find a normal in her very abnormal life. She decided to bury herself in the knowledge she found in books. She was determined to make her future bright and not this continued bleakness she seemed to be stuck in.

She wanted to make a future for herself that she looked forward to opposed to one she dreaded. She feel in love with school, mostly because she felt wanted there. She spent more of her time at school then at home and she was totally okay with that.

It was definitely better conditions then she had had with her birth parents but she still felt unloved and unwanted. She still never got the bedtime stories her little heart so badly desired.

* * *

*The Present*

Peri had been reduced to nothing but tears. She had tried really hard to hold on and not cry in front of her girlfriend, at least not _again,_ but only several syllables into her story they started to escape her wet eyes.

Lapis held Peri without a word being passed between the two of them. Lapis let her cry out, she had held it all in for far too long. She let Peri cry until she couldn't anymore, only then did she pull back and look at Peri's tear stained face.

Her eyes were red and her nose was runny. Lapis removed Peri's glasses from her face so she could lightly rub the tears away, along with the pain. The gesture caused a few more tears to roll out of Peri's eyes instead. No one had ever cared this much about her, to do something as simple as hold her and wipe her tears away.

Lapis spotted a box of Kleenex and grabbed one for Peri who accepted it with a shaky thank you.

A twinge of guilt surged through Lapis as she looked over to her empty wine glass, "Why didn't you tell me before?" She understood now why Peri's glass remained full.

"I didn't want you to think differently of me. I thought that if I pretended like it didn't happen maybe it really _didn't_ happen. I just, that's not how I wanted my story to start." Peri was trying to explain herself in a way that made sense but being in her current emotional state, it was more then difficult.

Lapis pushed down her guilt to be there for Peri, "I understand." Lapis rested one of her hands on Peri's shoulder and Peri knew that she really _did_ understand.

Lapis hadn't had the greatest start in life either, but they had to go through all the bad stuff to get to where they were now. Their lives were changing and for once it was for the better. The two had been through a lot but they were no longer alone, they had each other now.

Peri had stopped crying her past already turning from a red hot ache to a slight dull in the back of her head. It felt so good to get it all off her chest. To let someone know how she had felt growing up, something she had never felt safe sharing before. Not even with Amethyst...she felt kind of bad about that, she had been her best friend growing up. To this day Amethyst believed those two robots were Peri's birth parents. She didn't know the dark story of her previous seven years of life.

Peri knew she had a lot of walls, she just didn't know how many until she started knocking some down. With Lapis she felt like one day she might not have any at all.

"I'm sorry for asking, but I'm glad that you shared it all with me. I know it's painful to talk about..." Lapis had not just a few days earlier opened up about her past. She had been in a situation where she needed to, she couldn't just lie to a police officer. But she had also decided to keep Peri in the room with her, to let her hear about her past and not hide it any longer.

The two got closer wrapping their arms around each other. They sat there on Peri's couch just holding each other, knowing that in that moment they were both okay. They both watched as rain started to fall outside, beading up on the window then slowly rolling away. They didn't let go in fear of their moment of peace ending, but everything comes to an end at some point.

This time it was Lapis' phone that cut through the silence that resounded in the apartment ending the two women's serene minute.

"Hello?" Lapis answered the phone calmly not knowing who it was, it was an unknown number to her phone.

Peri silenced her breathing trying to listen to the muffled words of the person on the other side of Lapis' phone call. Peri became worried when Lapis sat up straighter and slide her body so that she was sitting on the edge of the couch.

"Um okay." Lapis' voice was starting to shake, "Yes of course." Panic was quickly rising in both of the women. Peri scooched up beside Lapis and draped an arm around her back and over her shoulder.

"Okay, thank you officer." With that Lapis ended the call on her phone and set it beside her on the couch.

Peri watched as her face fell with a darkness and rose with a panic all at the same time. "Who was that?" She questioned.

Lapis looked out to the rain falling from the unhappy skies. Why do bad things always happen in these kinds of settings?Lapis had found as a child the worst days were always the ones when rain fell, or when thunder echoed through the skies, or when lightning cut slashes of blinding electricity into the skies that had turned into nothing but a black abbess. Lapis was beginning to fear the days when rain fell.

"It was the officer I told my statement to, Officer Miller. They set a date for the trial." Peri watched her girlfriend as she tried not to have a break down.

"Trial? He shouldn't have a trial he's guilty!" Peri was outraged. That disgusting man should be sent straight to jail for what he did and tried to do to her girlfriend.

"She said Marty's story doesn't match mine." Peri was confused, of course it wouldn't match. He was the guilty one, of course he would make up some story that made it out to where he was innocent.

"What does that even mean?" Peri was trying to cover her disgust for Marty and help Lapis.

"It means I'm gonna need to find a lawyer, and a good one." Lapis was already dialing someone new, someone who may be able to help her.

* * *

 **A/N:** I just want to say thank you to all who read my story. I'm so very happy that you enjoy reading my story so much that twenty chapters later you're still reading it! I also want to let you know that my updates will probably be every other week now. My life is slowly becoming more busy as the start of the school year is coming. Anyway thank you all again and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	21. Chapter 21

Peri paced the apartment nervously. She had nothing to be worried about but still her footsteps were filled with an electric concern. Why had Lapis asked to go alone?

Before Lapis could even worry about trying to find a lawyer she already had one. Peri listened to the conversation, at least Lapis' end, and was immediately jealous. She already knew a lawyer?

Peri was by no means a lawyer but she had thought she would be the one there for Lapis. She was fine with the extra help, actually relieved, but to be asked to stay behind? That was what made her suspicious and even slightly concerned.

Peri sighed and retired from her pacing to flop down on her couch. Her eyes felt heavy. Even though she had gotten the past off of her chest she had been given a very restless night. Every time she feel asleep dreams seeped into her head and attacked. Images of her sisters cruel gaze, half empty liquor bottles being flung at her, phantom aches of where the scars on her back were, her foster parent's empty looks. She hadn't realized how much she had repressed her childhood.

She dug in her pocket and found her phone. She went to her conversation with Lapis but there was no reply to her question, "How is it going?" It only furthered her concern.

She knew this was all very difficult for Lapis to talk about but Peri was her girlfriend. She felt like she should be there right now sitting beside her, supporting her.

The word 'no' burned as it had hit her skin, she was still raw from the conversation with Lapis. She didn't want her there and Peri wanted to know why.

Even though her phone made no sound she unlocked it once again to check for a reply, nothing.

"Ugh!" Peri stood back up frustrated, maybe she should go do something, get her mind off it. There was nothing to be concerned about in any way, she was just a bit hurt by Lapis not wanting her there. Maybe she thought Peri would get in the way, or try to talk over her.

"I would stay out of the way..." Hot tears were threatening to pool out of her eyes as she talked to the empty apartment trying to reason out why she had been asked to stay behind.

She held her arms against her stomach and decided to make some tea. As much as she loved coffee it would only do to increase her current anxious state. What she needed now was a nice relaxing glass of peppermint tea.

* * *

Lapis sat at a high table inside the small coffee with high bar stool like chairs. It was positioned directly beside the door, centered by a large bay window, and every time it opened a cool breeze would flow over Lapis. It made her body convulse and she blamed the cold air that seeped in through the door but it was also something else, even if she didn't want to admit it.

She was nervous and not in the professional 'I'm going to talk to a lawyer about my dark past that I am very closed in about' but the nerves that are associated with a first kiss. When you're about to experience the unknown and you're not sure if you should be excited or terrified.

Why oh why did the only lawyer Lapis knew have to be her ex. She shouldn't have called her, she could tell by just the phone call that Bismuth had misinterpreted her words. She had nothing to be nervous about, but she was, even if it was just a little. She hadn't seen Bismuth since her high school days, which in reality was only a few years ago but it still felt like it had been an eternity.

The last time they had talked, or rather yelled, Bismuth was in her second year of law school. She was top of the class and ahead of schedule to graduate due to her ability to complete multiple college credits while still in high school. She had such a good work ethic and motivation. Lapis had envied her for how on top of stuff she was, always ahead of the rest of the crowd when it came to just about everything.

Lapis had been pleased to hear that she had finished her law degree while chatting on the phone last night. She was just glad she had accepted to meet her here today to talk. Bismuth had been busy so Lapis hadn't been able to go into details about why they were meeting. She knew Bismuth was hoping they would be talking about more personal then business stuff.

They hadn't ended their relationship on the greatest note which is why she was so surprised to hear that she would be able to meet her the very next day. Lapis had given her the address for the coffee shop Amethyst worked in and set up a time, bright and early. Lapis was hoping to sneak out and be back before Peri awoke. She wanted to go alone.

She felt slightly guilty about it. She didn't need to hide her past relationship with Bismuth, it was in the past. There was just a part of her that knew their relationship would get brought up at some point during the meeting and she didn't want Peri to get weird or even possibly jealous.

 _Bing bing bing_

Lapis could tell without turning around who had entered the small cozy coffee shop and set the little bell at the top of the door on edge. It's like the whole atmosphere had shifted and Lapis couldn't tell if it had changed in a good way or not. Suddenly the little coffee shop didn't feel so cozy.

"Lapis!" Bismuth exclaimed as she made her way over to sit across from her. Even though it had been several years since they last saw each other Bismuth's looks hadn't changed much. It was only her hair that was now strikingly blond instead of the vibrant colors found in the rainbow. It seemed as though being a lawyer had taken away her colorful hair.

"I didn't know your natural hair color was blond." Lapis stated not sure how else she was going to start the conversation. Bismuth chuckled in response.

"Yeah I had to leave all the colors behind me when I got my first client. As soon as they saw me they seemed to back away. I don't think anybody would have taken me seriously so I left the dyes behind." Bismuth spoke as if they hadn't chatted in a few days opposed to a few years. Everything about her seemed relaxed, not a nerve to be spotted.

"What about you? I didn't know your _real_ hair color was brown." Lapis blushed involuntarily and grabbed a lock of her hair to see the dark brown, why couldn't she just act normal?

"Yeah well you know, I wanted to be taken seriously too. As soon as I got accepted into an office job I had to ditch the blue." Lapis answered almost the same as Bismuth had, but for some reason she felt like her words sounded silly while Bismuth's had sounded mature.

"Haha yeah." Bismuth thought for a second then continued onto the next topic. "So what is it that you needed to talk about? You really didn't go into any details on the phone last night." Lapis could see the sparkle of hope in her eyes that made her feel guilty. She was about to crush that hope and ask for more then she deserved.

Lapis looked down as she spoke, not able to look into Bismuth's hopeful eyes, "I have a little legal situation and am in need of a lawyer...if you want the job?" Lapis wasn't watching to see what Bismuth's reaction was but she could see it all in her head.

The awful moment of realization that this meeting was purely for business reasons, the moment when the sparkle of hope fled from her eyes and was left with nothing but the dark void of reality. Lapis had promised many years ago that she would never hurt Bismuth again, she knew now that her promise had not been kept.

"Oh um yeah of course. I would never turn down a client." You could hear in Bismuth's voice that she was disappointed. Next came her attempt to recover and move on like she was expecting nothing else.

"Great." Lapis replied as she made eye contact once again with Bismuth. "When can we start?"

"Now would be fine with me." Bismuth replied but you could tell a part of her was now absent from the conversation, sulking in the shadows.

"Well then I guess I'll start at the beginning." Lapis said, not so sure if she was ready to tell yet another person of something that she just wanted to pretend never happened.

* * *

Lapis wasn't sure what was worse, telling the story or watching Bismuth listen to it. The small horrified look just continued to grow on Bismuth's face making Lapis' stomach feel a little uneasy.

When she finished Bismuth's horrified face turned into one filled with pure rage.

"Why did you never tell me?" Bismuth hush yelled at Lapis, through her story telling Lapis' voice had slowly lowered to that of a whisper.

"Bismuth please can we not talk about the past. Can we just figure out what to do at the trail." Lapis felt exhausted, it seemed to get worse every time she told the terrible story.

"We went out for three years and you what just forgot to tell me? Or did you not want to because you knew we wouldn't last?" Bismuth's voice had risen slightly drawing the attention of the few people inside the coffee shop.

"Bismuth I didn't tell you all this for you to get mad about the past. I told you so you could help me now." Lapis' words only did to irritate Bismuth further.

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me don't." The screech that came from Bismuth's chair when she pushed back from the table sent Lapis' hands flying to her ears. Bismuth was heading for the door.

"Bismuth! Can you please help me? I know our relationship didn't end all that well but I really need your help with this." Lapis' voice had taken on a pleading tone.

A thousand emotions ran over Bismuth's face until finally all her features softened, "Fine."

"Really that's great!" Lapis feigned excitement as to not send Bismuth into another one of her fits. Lapis tried not to blame Bismuth for her slight outburst, she couldn't control them.

"When can we begin?" Lapis pushed on further, Bismuth had not returned to the table and now one hand rested on the door handle.

"I'll call you tomorrow and we can set up a schedule. I need a..I have some stuff I need to do today."

"O-okay. That sounds good. See you-"

 _Bing bing bing_

Bismuth was already out the door before Lapis could finish her faux excitement.

Lapis was left feeling, once again, guilty. She always acted so reserved trying not to hurt the ones around her, but no matter how hard she tried they got hurt anyways.

She needed to go do something and _now_. Something for her and no one else. She didn't care what people would say, she already knew what _she_ wanted to do. Lapis stood to exit the building but Amethyst presented herself in front of the door.

"Hey! Leaving already?" Amethyst stood aside to allow another customer in and directed her attention towards Lapis.

"Yeah..I have something I need to go do." She felt bad for not buying anything while she was inside the coffee shop but she was to anxious for coffee and she had become slightly nauseous from her interaction with Bismuth.

"Well I won't keep you. I just came to tell you Pearl and I set a date for the wedding and you're invited, Peri too of course."

"Oh that's great news!" Lapis wasn't sure how to act around Amethyst, she hadn't known her for that long. She was happy for her, but she also knew a lot of stuff Peri had told her making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Lapis felt like she knew things that she shouldn't.

"Yup we're both super excited for the wedding. We have been going out for several years. There had been a point at the beginning of our relationship when we thought this day would never become a reality." You could see in Amethyst's expression just how important this day would be. The ability to declare their love for one another in front of their friends and family. No longer having to keep their love a secret, to not feel like they're wrong in the eye of society.

"That's really nice." Lapis meant her words, she was almost jealous of the two. Almost.

"Yeah. We'll have all the invitations done soon. Next time you come in I'll be sure you get them." Amethyst began walking towards a customer at the counter who was impatiently ringing the bell for service.

"Okay sounds great." Lapis waved goodbye as she excited into the crisp winter air and made her way down the sidewalk.

* * *

After drinking her tea Peri returned to pacing, waiting for her phone to jingle. Why was she assuming the worst would happen. When did she become such a pessimist? Peri thought on it for a moment then dismissed the idea remembering her childhood.

Peri decided to do something more productive and went about organizing things in her apartment. She still needed to make a lot of room for some of Lapis' things. The last thing Peri wanted was for her to not feel welcome.

After cleaning and organizing every square inch of the apartment Peri returned to the living room where she had left her phone. As she got closer she could see the phones screen was lit up.

There were _two_ text messages from Lapis _and_ a missed call! How did she not hear it! Peri realized then her phone was on silent.

"Stupid!" Peri scolded herself. She quickly opened her phone to see what the messages read. 'It went good I think...' the first message trailed off into the next, 'There is something I need to go take care of real quick. I'll be home soon, love you!' Peri's heart warmed reading the last part of the message.

It reminded her that this all didn't happen in a dream. That she was dating someone she loved and who loved her back. She couldn't be more happy.

She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Peri knew she had overreacted about Lapis wanting her to stay behind. She couldn't take it personally, this was about Lapis not her. Really bad things happened to Lapis and Peri just needed to be there for her when she needed and _wanted_ her there.

Peri was so deep in her realization that even the jingle of keys and the turn of the door knob wasn't enough to snap her out of it.

"Peri?" Peri threw her head to the side where Lapis stood in the entrance of the door. It took Peri a moment to realize what Lapis had done, but when she did her jaw slowly began to fall.

"So what do you think?" Lapis' face wasn't sure if she was excited or nervous to show Peri.

"Your hair.." Peri wasn't sure what to think, "It's blue."

* * *

 **A/N:** I keep thinking this story is coming to a close then I think of something else to add in :p I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)


	22. Chapter 22

Lapis wanted to disappear. Her idea had seemed like a great one but now, now she wasn't so sure. "You don't like it?" She had seen the point of recognition in Peri's face and it was leaning more towards horror then just surprise.

"No no it's not that. I like it." Peri quickly closed her mouth ashamed her reaction had been that of a jaw drop.

Lapis felt a little more comfortable and shut the door behind her no longer blinded by regret. "Then..." Peri had already said she liked it, what was Lapis supposed to ask now?

"It's beautiful." Peri's voice became softer as she moved closer to Lapis, taking both of Lapis' hands in her own. "What made you want blue?" Peri asked. She loved Lapis' brown hair. It was dark and breathtaking, but she was already adjusting to Lapis' blue head. Peri internally shook her head, this girl could pull off anything.

"My hair was blue all through high school. I don't know I just wanted things to be simple again..like they were in high school. When I didn't have to worry about money, or what I was going to eat, or where I was going to live, or court...well at least not after I moved in with my aunt." Lapis took a moment to remember where she was going with all this. "I don't know I guess I was just feeling a little homesick. Not for my actual home, more like I missed the old me." Peri had slowly pulled Lapis closer to her, her hands were now locked around Lapis' back.

"Well the new you is pretty great." Peri tried to be sweet but she felt like it was a stupid things to say. She already thought that Lapis was amazing.

"I just feel like I'm kidding myself. I was so chill in high school. I just went with the flow of things, now it's like even the tiniest of things stress me out. I feel like I don't belong in this city, my first week and I'm already fired!" Lapis felt beat down and even Peri's warm arms around her wasn't enough to lift her back up.

Lapis moved her limp arms that had stayed dangling beside her, and rested them on Peri's sides. Peri decided it was the right time to speak up, "You do belong in this city. Do you know why?" Was Lapis supposed to answer? Was this a rhetorical question? She wasn't sure so she just shook her head left to right. An action Peri could feel against her own head.

"Because I'm here, and if you hadn't come to this city we would have never met. The thought of that makes me so anxious I can't even describe it." Lapis took in Peri's words and had to agree with them. The thought of never meeting Peri made her feel anxious to, so anxious she tightened her grip on Peri. She never wanted to let her go.

Warm tears started to fall on Peri's shoulder, alerting her to Lapis' silent cries. "Hey there, it's okay." Peri started rubbing circles on Lapis' back trying to sooth her to a calm state.

"You're right. I shouldn't be sulking, you're the one good thing that came out of coming to this city. Now I couldn't even fathom what would have happened if I hadn't." Lapis pulled her face back to look at Peri and the tears that were threatening to pool out of her own eyes.

"Do you really mean that?" When Peri thought about herself the last thing that came to her was good. She felt wrong in a million different ways, except when she was with Lapis. When they were together she felt like everything was the way it was supposed to be.

"I really do." Lapis removed one of her hands from Peri's side and used it to tilt Peri's chin up ever so slightly to place a soft kiss on her lips. Lapis wasn't used to being the taller one but she was coming to find that she liked it. One kiss turned into many until Lapis pulled back with an idea that had sparked in her brain.

"Hey, what do you say we go out and do something." Lapis was biting her bottom lip with excitement to her idea.

"Yeah? And do what?" Peri questioned dreamily gazing up at Lapis. She got lost in combing her fingers through Lapis' thick blue hair.

"Maybe we could go back to the hairstylist and get a little more color up in here." Lapis brushed Peri's hair but Peri's mind skipped over the small detail.

"Yeah? What color goes good with blue? You don't want them to clash." Peri's mind pondered the idea of Lapis hair being two different colors and tried to think of something that would look nice.

"Not me silly, I was talking about you." Peri burst out laughing to the point where tears started to blur her vision.

"What?" Lapis asked with a straight faced look. Peri took a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes to see her blurred vision had not fooled her. Lapis in fact had a befuddled look on her face.

"Wait a minute, that wasn't a joke?" Peri asked, frantically trying to hide her watery eyes. How stupid was she to think Lapis would joke about something she just had done herself.

"Nope."

* * *

"Oh I still don't know about this." Peri didn't know how Lapis had gotten her to the hair salon, but she had. Peri noted that Lapis was quite persuasive when she spoke. After a short argument, not in the traditional sense, Peri had agreed and now she was beginning to question why?

Peri would have never under any other circumstance even considered dying her hair. She knew all the negative side effects that came with having colored hair like dry and brittle ends, scalp irritation, and even hair loss. But here she was sitting in a chair with a backwards cape tied around her neck.

"Hey girl, back already?" Someone emerged from a door with beads hanging from the ceiling to the floor. She seemed to be talking to Peri but she had never encountered this person before.

"Hey Alex! Yeah I'm back but I am not the customer this time. Here's the one and only girl of mine I was telling you about." Lapis spoke up from behind Peri explaining why Alex had spoken in her direction. They talked as if they were old pals. Why was Lapis so good at these things? Whenever Peri was in public she couldn't seem to say more then two words before feeling like an idiot.

"Awe. Hello Peri." Alex held out her hand. It took a moment for Peri's mind to register she was offering a hand shake. Peri wrestled her hand out from under the dark material to take Alex's hand that had rested in the air for an awkward amount of time. "Lapis told me all about you while she was getting her hair done." Peri tilted her head up and shot Lapis a look that could melt metal.

"Oh no no no. All good things, it was all good things." Alex piped up after she realized Peri's look had been bordering on almost a murderous tone.

"That's what I was afraid of." Peri kept her eyes on Lapis trying to make her scowl soften but it was difficult. What kinds of things has Lapis told this stranger that she had only met today? Lapis and Peri hadn't been going out for very long, how much was there to tell?

"Haha don't worry my little worry wart." Lapis bent down to place a kiss on Peri's forehead, then spoke in a hushed voice meant for only Peri to hear. "Nothing personal." Lapis gave Peri a quick wink knowing that was what she was fretting about. She was just to easy to read sometimes.

Alex had stayed back observing the two interact for a moment before speaking again. "So what is it that you want done to your hair Peri?" Peri stole her gaze away from Lapis for a moment so she could face Alex. She had asked a question that Peri had not yet prepared an answer for yet.

"I don't know." Peri looked back to Lapis, her eyes pleading for help.

"I know what will look good, _and_ that you will like." Lapis made her way from standing beside Peri over to Alex. She then leaned in close to whisper something that Peri struggled to hear.

"You think?" Alex asked assessing Peri's hair.

"Oh yeah. I'm sure." Lapis had a confident tone making Peri feel a little more at ease.

"Okay, whatever you say." Alex disappeared into the back to gather her supplies.

"What did you tell her?" Peri asked when the two were alone. If something drastic was going to happen to her hair she at least wanted to know what it was before it happened.

"You'll see." Lapis answered with a giddy look on her face. She looked so excited and happy. That was all it took for Peri to let go of her worries.

Peri reminded herself that whatever did happen to her hair wasn't permanent and this was something Lapis was very obviously excited about. She would do it, for her.

Alex reappeared from the back room with dye and other hair supplies in hand.

"Okay, now close you're eyes. And no peaking until it is all done." Lapis took hold of the swivel chair and pointed Peri towards the windows instead of the mirror.

"Do you really have to turn me?" Peri didn't like that people walking by could see her plain as day through the window.

"Yes it is." Lapis answered, "but you still have to close your eyes for safe measure."

"Fine." Answered Peri in a flat tone sounding quite irritated while in actuality she was having a really great time.

* * *

Peri wasn't going to lie, when she saw her hair curled with bright green tips she felt like she was on top of the world. Never had she imagined doing something like this. She was always the good girl, never stepping out of line. She had tried at every moment possible to impress her parents enough to earn some affection from them.

To her disappointment she never succeeded, not when she graduated from high school or college, not when she got a job or her several promotions. She stopped talking to them altogether after a few years of living in Chicago. What was the point? They plain and simple didn't care about her.

Her birth parents and her new parents both didn't care about Peri. She found out later in life the people who she had been sent to live with after being taken away from her birth parents had actually been her aunt and uncle. She also discovered that neglect must of run in the family.

She decided it was best to cut them off entirely but she still didn't feel like she could do anything fun or out of the ordinary. Even after cutting them out she was still subconsciously trying to make them proud of her.

But now as she looked at the smiling reflection in the mirror she was proud of herself, and that was something she had never really truly felt before.

Lapis took note of Peri's beauty in that moment. It wasn't the curly hair or the new green tips that hung around her shoulders. It was the smile that flew to her lips the second they turned her chair around and she got to see herself. She had a genuine smile and it made Peri look more beautiful then ever.

Peri actually stood up from her chair to get a closer look at her vibrant highlights. She repeatedly ran her fingers through her hair expecting it to come off but it stayed put. It was real dye, Peri had really gotten her hair dyed. Lapis walked to Peri's side to join in on admiring her hair.

"You look beautiful," Lapis tried to say with a clear throat and dry eyes but her mind was drunk on Peri's beauty so there was a slight hitch in her voice and a little extra wetness in her eyes.

"I really do don't I." For once Peri felt like her own person. When Peri looked at herself in the mirror there was no hesitation in her thought, she felt beautiful and that only intensified when Lapis said it out loud to her.

Lapis hooked her arm around Peri and pulled her into a hug. Eyes stayed mostly dry but it was difficult for Peri not to lose it in the middle of the salon that was now with being filled with other customers.

Peri knew it must seem silly but for once she finally felt like her own person with her green highlights, and she finally felt at home in Lapis' arms.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey everybody! I know it's been a super long time since I updated and I want to apologize for that but I also want to thank you for your patience with me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though there wasn't any really large events. I'll try to get the next update out faster then I did with this one, but there really is no rush. There are only a few chapters left...


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